The Spawn must go on
by Sidura
Summary: Sequel to Dog Diner Afternoon. Years after that fateful afternoon, we get to see how life turned out for those in Stars Hollow when their relatively quiet world is interrupted by the visit of a little blonde whirlwind.
1. Chapter 1

Hello there, I know it is bad form to post a sequel to a story when you are half way through posting the prequel to it, especially when it is unbeta'd. However it is Sunday and my fish tank is cloudy due to an algae bloom and I feel like posting this.

It is a sequel to Dog Diner Afternoon and seeing how more than a few years have past and it is set in Stars Hollow, there will be no gun play, no demons, no going into the sense of entitlement that seems to go hand in hand with being Rory Gilmore or the complex knowing her gave to Dean Forester, (shocking for me I know.)

Let me know if you enjoy it, well if you read it :)

Oh pairings I suppose I should mention them even though they are pretty obvious if you read the other stories I wrote in this little world

Luke/Lorelai

Rory/Jess

Dean F/Jo

* * *

"Give it back, give it back to him!" the boy yelled jumping up trying desperately to reach the book that was being dangled just out of reach. The only response emanating from those around him being the laughter of his tormentors mingled with the grumblings of his companion who was being held back by one of another one of the group.

"Hey! Buttface! Your mother mate with a monkey or something?"

The larger boy turned his head to see blonde hair framing a small determined glaring face.

"I asked you a question. Your dad a monkey, because he asked for his book back, so unless you are deaf, you are an idjit and according to my Uncle Dean the quickest way to become an idjit, is to be related to a monkey!"

The larger boy dropped the book before pushing the child in front of him to the ground. "What you saying?"

She stood her ground. "I'm saying that you should be locked up in a cage with all the other poop throwers or are you too dumb to get that?"

He took a step forward as his friends watched on, expecting her to turn and run. Instead she charged; head butting him in the stomach, winding him.

The other boys stared at the sight of their leader on the ground that was presently being towered by the girl who was half his size. She turned her head to face the others. "What are you guys wanting now - free pay per view?"

The other three boys ran as the large boy scrambled to his feet – all the while she shouted abuse at them.

"You two okay?" she asked quietly to the other two boys who she guessed would be in her grade.

The one who had obviously been the original target nodded as the other one handed him the book back.

"Should have kicked him in the nads – that might have worked for you," she said confidently as she went back for her bag.

"And then he would have gotten his friends to really beat us up," the slightly larger boy who had pushed to the ground replied. "The only reason they didn't touch you is because you're a girl."

"Maybe," the girl said. "Maybe not."

"Really?" the larger boy replied.

"Anyways, my mom says fighting is wrong," the smaller boy who's book had been taken interjected. "That you should just ignore bullies."

She stopped and turned, "What does your dad say?"

"He says that I shouldn't let them get to me, but it isn't wrong to tell people that I don't want to be pushed around," he admitted.

She thought for a second. "Funny that, my Mom says something like that and my Dad says that I shouldn't pick fights."

"Who are you?" the second, slightly larger boy asked.

She hesitated. "I'm…I'm new."

"Doesn't tell me much, does it," the second slightly boy said defiantly.

"I started today," she said a little shakily, before regaining her confidence. "And you could say thank you, or is it because you don't like your as…butt being saved by a girl."

Both boys looked at each other, wounded.

The smaller one sniffed, before kicking at the dirt, "Thanks."

"You're welcome," she said firmly before turning round and preparing to walk off.

"Hey, you didn't tell us your name," the larger boy said.

"Willow… Willow Harvelle, but you can call me Willie" she replied. "What's yours?"

The larger boy puffed up his chest a little. "Jude Danes and the dorky one here is Alex Mariano."

She nodded, "You in second grade too?"

Both boys nodded.

"You promise not to tell anybody what I did?" she pleaded, before nervously adding. "My Granddad won't be happy I got into a fight on my first day."

You think we are going to admit that Francis Cranmuir and his friends beat us up?" asked Alex.

"Hey, he didn't beat me up," Jude protested.

Willow smiled, "He was going to though."

"Shut up!" Jude said.

* * *

"Stop playing with your food Jude," Emily said firmly as the 7 year old pushed his vegetables around his plate while the adults continued their discussions during the Friday Night dinner.

"Mom, can I ask Willie come round to play tomorrow as we don't have school?" said Alex quietly to Rory, who was currently engaged with her grandfather discussing matters related to US foreign policy.

"What is that big guy?" Jess asked his son.

"He's asking if Willie can come and play with us tomorrow," Jude said.

"Who's Willie?" Rory asked both boys.

"Willie goes to our school, and is new so doesn't have many friends yet."

"So you two have a new friend?" Jess asked the boys.

"Willie is not our friend," Jude said firmly, kicking Alex under the table.

"You're just sore because you were about to get creamed by Frankie," Alex blurted out.

Luke looked at his son as did the rest of the table, "Jude? What happened?"

"Nothing Dad. I swear."

"Is that boy and his friends bothering you two again?" Lorelai asked. "You can say if he is."

"He's just a stupid 4th grader," Jude said firmly. "And we don't need you to talk to the Principal. We told you that – we can deal with him ourselves."

"Are you guys sure?" Rory said, causing all the male members of the family to look at her.

"He was only picking on me today Mom because he's a buttface!" Alex said pouting.

"Excuse me?" Emily asked. "What did you say?"

"He said that Frankie is a buttface," Jude said.

"We don't use language like that, young man." Richard said firmly.

"But that's what Willie called him," Alex explained. "And Jude's just sore because Willie saved him, that's why he doesn't want to go and play."

"So this Willie kid saved you two?" Jess said causing the two boys to look slightly embarrassed.

"Didn't need saving," Jude muttered.

"And there really wasn't any fighting and Willie only called him a buttface to get his attention so he'd leave us alone," Alex said before turning to the adults, "So can Willie come over tomorrow? Please?"

Luke smiled at the two small boys seated at the end of the table, "I don't see why not."

* * *

The two boys stood at the front door reading the bit of paper in Alex's hand.

"You sure this is the right place?" Jude asked, "Because I don't think it is."

"It's the address Willie gave us."

"But she said she just moved here, so how can she be sure?" Jude reasoned.

Alex huffed. "Grandma said that as long as we were together we could come over here, so we should at least check if it is the right or the wrong place."

"Alex, you ever think it is weird that your Grandma is my mom?" Jude asked his nephew.

"As much as my Dad is your cousin," Alex replied.

"What exactly does that make us?"

Alex shrugged, "I don't know – the other doofus that has to get dressed up to go spend Friday night at the big house?"

"I don't like it that Granny tries to make me wear a tie," Jude stated.

"Granny Emily does that to me too, remember."

Jude smirked. "Yeah I suppose, and she always gives you little bow ties too."

"We should knock," Alex said quickly trying to change the subject to which Jude hesitated for a moment before taking the plunge.

Both boys stood at the door as it slowly opened and a large man stood there staring down at them, "Can I help you two?"

Alex nervously looked up. "Can Willie come out to play?"

* * *

As the three children walked down the street Willie stopped in the center of the town square, looking around her.

"Are you okay?" Jude asked.

Willie took a moment and nodded, "Sure. It is just bigger than my Dad said it was."

"Your Dad?" Alex asked.

Willie nodded, "Yeah he said this place was small and I'd like it and that I could take lessons with Miss…oh what did he say her name was."

"Miss Patty?" Jude asked.

Willie nodded, "I fink so. He said that while I'm staying here that my Nana May might want to take me to dance lessons and that I could take part in a recital… what ever that is."

Jude grinned. "You could get a pink tutu."

"What is a tutu?" Willie asked. "And why does it have to be pink."

Both boys turned to her, "What type of girl are you?"

Willie shrugged, "The girl who saved your butts!"

"So this is your little friend?" Luke said as the three children piled into the diner.

"Yes this is Willow, but you can call her Willie," Jude said firmly.

Luke took a breath. "I think I will call her Willow. If that is okay with her?"

The girl blushed for a second before giving him a little nod.

"Yeah and she's new. Like we said, so we thought we'd give her the whole Stars Hollow Tour," Alex said.

"The whole tour?" Luke asked.

"Well, can we ask Rory or Grandma if we missed anything if they come in later," Jude replied as the girl stood nervously in front of the large man. "Actually, can I just ask Rory as Mom will do all the history stuff."

Luke smiled as the little boy looked contrite. "Sure kid, your friend doesn't need to know about your whole life story, let alone your mom trying to get hers."

"Life story?" Willow said quietly not sure what that meant.

"It's okay Willie, my Mom just talks and talks and asks lots of questions" Jude said "But this is my Dad and he'll talk to her, plus he makes the best chocolate sundaes ever!"

"Sure I do," Luke said with a smile.

"I don't…" Willie said quietly.

"Really it is okay, Grandpa Luke is way cool," Alex said reassuringly.

"Grandpa?" Willie asked confused.

"Yeah. He's my Dad, but he's also kind of Alex's Grandpa," Jude explained.

Willie stood there for a moment confused, she scratched her head, "Okay?"

"And my Dad is also Jude's cousin," Alex added causing the girl to stand there for a moment in thought. "My Mom says we are a real life Atypical American blended family out of the pages of a 21st century soap opera script."

Willow stood there, "Blended family…my friend Ben says he'd be in a proper one of those if my Uncle wasn't so stupid and just deal, but I don't understand what he's talking about?"

Luke smiled at the little girl. "It means that that the boys can try and sucker me for free ice cream from time to time. Would you like one?"

Willow bit her lip, she stuck her hand in her pocket fishing out a dime and 2 quarters, "I've only got this, so no."

"It's okay – the boys here are having."

She shook her head, "I'm not suppose to take things from people I don't know. My Mom and Dad says that I shouldn't, especially free stuff because there is always a hidden tag…and if the strange people don't want for me to pay up front then I should run away. I don't know why but I think that it must mean that it is really bad."

Luke nodded. "That sounds like good advice. But you know what a quarter is about the cost of an extra spoon. So how about I give these two an extra big sundae and you three can share, is that okay?"

Alex smiled, "Sure it is Grandpa!"

Willie, looked at the big man in front of her, "I only get ice cream after I have something that is good for me – can I have an apple instead? Do I have enough for that?"

Both boys looked at her before looking at Luke, "Can we get apples too?"

Luke stood there dumb founded for a moment, before grinning. "Willow, if you can get these two to eat an apple you girl can definitely have one on the house."

Willow shook her head. "If it is the same to you mister, I'll pay if that is alright."

* * *

"So you are telling me, they said they didn't want me to help them give her the tour?" Lorelai asked.

"Yep, guess they didn't want their friend there knowing about the time they ran across the town square with nothing on," Luke replied.

"Hey, I'm proud of that moment, their first political statement and what would a town festival in a heat wave be like without two miniature three year old streakers," Lorelai retorted. "And it wasn't like anyone helped them out of their clothes, they did that all on their own."

"And it took use two hours to work out that they had piled them under the gazebo," Luke said.

"Alex did try and fold his shirt," Lorelai stated. "Which was cute, and it was Rory's fault remember. She told them they couldn't play in the sprinklers because of the way they were dressed so taking them off and putting them somewhere where they wouldn't get wet was very clever of them."

"Yeah, but you didn't have to take an album worth of pictures."

"Hey, is it my fault you still haven't got a cell with a camera," Lorelai said. "Anyway those are golden memories, baby. The ones we are supposed to treasure."

"Yeah sure," Luke said causing Lorelai to pout before turning to look over at the three children. "Are you sure that they ate an apple – no fighting, no screaming, no asking for the whole can of whipped cream on it first?"

"Yes," Luke said as he started to wipe down the counter.

"Who is this child and what has she done to our boys?" Lorelai asked.

Luke just smiled. "Looks like they've discovered that girls a little earlier than expected."

"Well they are both Gilmore's – we develop fast," Lorelai said knowingly.

Luke stared at his wife, "Sure that is it."

"Oh, don't the three of them look so adorable," Lorelai said as she watched them. "We should record this moment, the boys' first date. This is definitely a Kodak moment."

"Another one?" Luke asked. "And when our son tries to divorce us for mental cruelty you wouldn't have gathered all the evidence that he needs with all the pictures you have."

Lorelai ignored him for a moment. "We could blow it up along with their baby pictures; oh they would so love that."

Luke nodded, "Yeah Lorelai, they're adorable. But they won't be so adorable when the boys work out they can't share her."

"Hey, I said they are adorable – we are no where near the point where we are sitting Jude down to explain why he and his little 'friend' there shouldn't go riding their little bikes down to the lake," Lorelai replied.

"And Alex?" Luke replied.

"He maybe named after a French writer who wrote about high adventure and romance, but he's seven so I'm not going to have to worry about becoming a great grandma just yet."

* * *

"Mom, Dad, is it okay if me and Alex walk Willie back to her grandparents' house?" Jude asked as he walked over to his mother, interrupting Lorelai and Luke's conversation.

"So soon?" Lorelai asked as the boy looked up at them.

Jude nodded, "She says that her Mom calls to see how she is doing everyday and she wants to tell her all about everything."


	2. Chapter 2

Thankyou to the people who have so far given this a bash and to those who have let me know that they like it.

Here is the next bit!

* * *

"So you got a girlfriend, big guy?" Jess said pulling his son into his lap as Rory finished up her article.

"Do not!" Alex protested turning a bright shade of red.

"That isn't what your Grandma and Grandpa Luke said," Rory said jokingly looking up from her desk. "Heard that you even ate an apple to impress her."

"Willie is just a friend and she isn't really a girl," Alex said trying to pull away from his Dad.

"Not a girl?" Jess said intrigued.

"Nope – she doesn't know about any of the stuff girls are supposed to know about, like dance recitals and tutus and she hates pink. Well, she doesn't hate it but she doesn't wear loads of it like all the rest of the girls do."

"So what does she look like?" Rory asked.

Alex shrugged, "She's a girl – she looks like a girl really."

"Thought she wasn't really a girl?" Jess said with a smirk.

"Dad!" Alex protested.

"Why don't you ask her and Jude to come over for a play date tomorrow – if her parents don't mind that is?"

"Play date?" Alex asked, "Mom, I'm seven, I don't do play dates."

"Well just think of it as a date then," Jess said calmly.

"EWWW, Dad!"

"Don't you want to ask her over to play – I could give her mom a call if you want," Rory said.

Alex shrugged, "Do what you want, can I go read my book now?"

"Don't you do an impression of your father," Rory replied. "Do you have her mom's number?"

Alex shrugged his head, "No – but her mom is… I don't know where. She said she is staying with her Grandparents."

"Okay, do you want to ask them for me tomorrow – I can give you a letter to give to them if you want."

"I don't think you'll need that – I can ask her."

* * *

"You two again?" Willie's Grandfather said as the two boys stood at the doorway of the house.

"Can Willie come out?" Jude said.

"Yeah, my Mom's asked if we wanted to ask you if Willie can come on a play date," Alex said.

"Then why didn't she call or come over with you two?" the man asked.

Jude looked at Alex before drawing up to his full height of 3ft 10in, "Because we said we could ask – and it isn't a date. We just want to go play, if that is okay."

"Yeah, our parents will be there; our Granny and Grampy will be there too and some other people. They are going to the Dragonfly for lunch and said we can go see the horses if we wanted and we thought Willie might want to see too," Alex said at high speed.

"Lunch at the Dragonfly?" the tall man asked tentatively. "Ehmm…I, I'm not sure that would be a good idea."

"Can I go Granddad please? Can I go see the horses please?" Willow begged as she stood there listening to the boys. "I'm not stupid, I know how to be safe and I can be ready to come back for when Mom and Dad call."

"You can call there to see if we're going and our friend Davie, his mom Sookie is the cook there and she's my Mom's friend and she is making this big lunch especially for us. You can call and check if you want to?" Alex rattled off at high speed.

"Your mom's friend?" the older man said slowly. "Does your mom work up there?"

Alex shook his head. "No, but she eats there all the time because the food is really good."

He looked down at the two small boys as he knotted his brow, turning his attention to Jude. "What about you?"

"The food there is okay," Jude replied. "But I prefer cheese burgers to the fancy stuff that you get up at the Inn."

"Granddad, can I go see the horses?" a little voice said refocusing his attention.

"Willow," he said as she looked up him with big wide hazel eyes.

"Please Granddad; I'll call as soon as I get there, I'll be good, I promise, I won't touch unless a grown up is there. Can I go see the horses, please?" Willow begged.

He sighed. "I suppose, you can go see the horses, but I'll be there to pick you up in a couple of hours so don't spoil your dinner will you – your Nana wants to make your favorites."

"Thank you Granddad! You are the best," Willie said before bouncing out of the house.

* * *

"Hello again," Luke said as the three children appeared in front of the house. Causing Willow to give him a shy smile before darting behind the two boys when Rory, Lorelai and Jess came out of the house.

"It's okay – you met Jude's Mom yesterday and this is Alex's Mom and Dad, they are going up to the Inn as well." Luke said reassuringly.

Rory crouched down before the little girl, "Hello there are you coming to the inn with us?"

Willow mumbled something while staring at Rory, taking a second before nodding. "Yes ma'am, if you don't mind."

"Okay, Willow, something we have to sort out," Lorelai said with a smile. "That is Rory and I'm Lorelai, we are too young for anyone to call us ma'am."

"Yeah right," Luke said causing his wife to glare at him.

Willow thought for a bit. "But that would be a bit disrespectful because I just met you and my Mom says I shouldn't be disrespectful, I should be polite."

Lorelai smiled. "It's okay kid. You can be a little 'disrespectful', we'll be sure to tell you when you've gone too far with it."

"I shouldn't," Willow said with a shake of her head. "My Mom said that while I'm here I've to be on my best behavior. So, I shouldn't be disrespectful unless the other person deserves it."

"Unless someone deserves it?" Rory asked. "And what exactly would you have to do to deserve it?"

Willow thought for a moment before she explained. "Like when my Dad is feeling icky and wants to stay asleep all day after he comes home late with my Uncles or my Grandpa."

"Okay?" Rory replied. "Your mom says it's okay to be disrespectful then?"

Willow nodded. "She turns up all the radios and tells me that I can make as much noise as I like because Daddy brought it on himself and he is old enough to know better and that is why he stays on the couch till she says so and I can be disrespectful because he has to learned his lesson. But I don't know you, so I shouldn't be because you haven't done anything to deserve that and I'm new in town."

They all looked at the little girl, Jess smiled, "Okay kid ... I'm Mr. Mariano and Rory here is Mrs. Mariano and you can ride in either car you like to."

The girl smiled, "Thank you."

"Don't you go letting that kid put ideas into your head," Luke said to Lorelai as Rory helped the children into the car.

"Ideas moi?" His wife replied.

* * *

Willow walked carefully into the rustic building following the path the others had followed. The little girl was unsure of what to do as she entered the crowded Inn.

"Hey, you okay?" Rory asked walking back to Willow after noting the child had fallen behind.

The little girl nervously swallowed before smiling shyly and nodding in the affirmative.

Rory bent down to eye level. "Why don't we order and then the boys and me can give you the tour. That wouldn't be so scary would it?"

Willow nodded taking Rory's hand to lead her to the dining room. Willow stopped for a moment. "Jude and Alex said there would be horses."

"Yes there are, there are two of them and they live in the stable outside, but we can get something to eat first and then the three of you can go to see them."

"Okay then," the little girl said confidently as Rory started to lead her onwards.

* * *

"So this is the boys' new friend?" Emily asked as Rory brought the little girl into the dining room.

"Willow, this is the boys Granny and Grampy," Lorelai said as got the little girl settled in her chair.

"Hello there Willow," Emily said to the confused little girl.

"You can call me Willie," the girl said quietly to the nicely dressed old couple.

"Really, but Willow is such a pretty name," Richard said.

"And you are such a pretty girl too," Emily said with a smile as the menus came.

"Thank you?" Willow replied a little shakily.

"You should have the fish cakes, Auntie Sookie does really good fish cakes and as she'll know their for us she'll make them extra special," Alex interjected enthusiastically distracting the conversation.

"They won't be better than my dad's burgers," Jude protested proudly causing Luke to smile.

"My Dad makes burgers too, but he can't bake," Willow mumbled as the grown ups started to talk among themselves.

"And they go to the same school?" Emily asked her daughter.

"Mom," Lorelai said in hushed tones as children figured out what to have.

Richard put down his menu. "Lorelai, she was only asking."

"Willow, there has just started at the boys school," Luke said. "Like they told you the other night."

"Oh, so this is Willie." Emily said as she watched the little girl have her order taken before getting off her chair to go explore with the boys and Rory. "She's not what I was expecting at all."

* * *

"So this is the reading room," Rory explained as Willow followed Jude and Alex into a wood paneled room with a number of large leather backed chairs. Willow looked up at the shelves with a number large books."

"If you think this is a lot you should see our living room," Alex said to Willow. "My Mom and Dad and thousands of them."

"You are getting a big collection yourself," Rory added as she ruffled her son's hair.

"No, I've seen more." Willow added.

"Where in a library?" Jude said scoffingly.

"No," Willow said as she stood back from a large man who was reading a paper. "My Grandpa's got a lot more books."

"Really?" Rory said.

"Yeah, they are everywhere; he doesn't have a lot of shelves though," Willow explained. "And I'm not allowed to touch most of them."

"Oh, that is a shame." Rory said.

"Not really," Willow replied. "Most have words I don't understand and are really really grown up books. My Grandpa and Uncle have to spend hours and hours trying to find things out of them."

"Really grown up books?" Jude asked confused.

Willow grinned. "Not like that silly, those ones Ben hides in my Uncle Dean's car when his Mom cleans out his room."

"Excuse me?" Rory asked.

"Oh," Willow blushed. "I only know about them because Ben hid them in the trunk and Uncle was looking for something that he borrowed from my Dad and they fell out when I was playing in the yard and everyone got all embarrassed and told me to go inside. But they were definitely Ben's."

"Right," Rory said slowly. "And how old is Ben?"

"He used to babysit me, but he's at college now," Willow replied.

"Is he now?" Rory asked.

"Yeah, Ben wasn't so sure if he wanted to go, but my Uncle made him. He drove over to pick him up at his mom's and took him to the campus and everything," Willow said before she looked at the carpet.

"So you don't see Ben now?"

"Not so much," Willow admitted as she became confused by Rory's questioning. "It's okay though, I didn't see what was in Ben's books, but Grandma said they were really really grownup picture books that I shouldn't look at and that is good enough for me. But my Dad said that I'm now not allowed near my Uncle's car without a grown up doing a full check first."

"That sounds like a good idea." Rory said with a cough.

"Why would grown up books mean you're not allowed to go near a car?" Alex asked.

"Let's not talk about that," Rory replied curtly turning her attention to the little girl. "So Willow, your Grandpa has a book collection?"

Willow nodded as the boys looked confused. "Yep, lots of them, lots are really old and are from all over the world."

"Like France?" Alex asked to which Willow shrugged.

"I don't know but I know some of them are in lots of different languages."

"Really?" Alex asked curiously before looking up at his mother. "Do you think that they'll be books by the man who you named me for?"

"I don't know." Rory replied as Willow looked at Alex waiting for an explanation.

"He got named for a French Dude who wrote lots of books," Jude said cockily as he looked through the shelves.

"Yeah and you got named after a song," Alex retorted.

"Well that is better than someone who wrote about lots of men who were sucky fighters years ago."

"Okay, the musketeers should have just arrested Richelieu instead of doing everything they did."

"Was he the bossy evil one in the dress?" Jude asked to which Alex nodded.

Jude turned to his half sister. "Yeah they should have done that."

Rory smiled turning back to Willow. "Before Alex was born I was reading a lot of books all written by the same man so we named Alex after him. And as for Jude, he got named after a song my mom really liked."

"Oh," Willow said. "I'm not named because of the witch."

"Excuse me?" Alex asked.

"There was a witch in a TV show and I'm not named after her," Willow said firmly. "Let's get that straight."

"I remember that show." Rory said with a grin causing Willow to glare. "Fine, I'll let everyone know."

"Good, because everybody asks my Dad that and I'm not; he said so." Willow said knotting her brow in a way that seemed familiar to Rory.

"So who are you named for?" Alex asked.

"No-one on TV, not the witch or the Flintstone either," Willow replied.

"Well that clears that up," Rory said glancing over in the direction of the dining room. "Kids, I think that the food is here."

* * *

"Mom, is it me or does Willow remind you of someone?" Rory asked as the children were sent to the kitchen so Sookie could find them dessert.

Lorelai shook her head, "Not that I can think of. Seems a little, well overwhelmed, but she seems okay."

Rory shook her head, "No, that isn't what I meant – it's her eyes, her eyes remind me of someone."

Lorelai shrugged. "I don't know."

"Maybe she reminds you of her family," Richard reasoned.

"Her surname is Harvelle," Luke said. "I don't know it, Rory you sure it doesn't ring any bells?"

"No, but she is staying with her grandparents not her Mom and Dad."

"Really?" Emily asked. "I wonder."

"Mom, it isn't our business," Lorelai replied.

"Lorelai, it is probable that if the child seems familiar to Rory somehow, but she doesn't recognize the girl's surname then she may have been acquainted with only one of the child's parents and that maybe from a number of years ago," Emily said calmly.

Lorelai bit her lip. "I suppose."

"And the easiest way to resolve the matter is to politely ask the child about her family so putting an end to the matter," Emily reasoned as the children came back with their cakes.

"Hey Willow," Rory said as the little girl put down the plate. "I was wondering if I can ask you a question about your mom and dad."

The little girl bit her lip, looking around her. "I … my Nana and Granddad are looking after me right now."

"And I'm sure they are doing a fine job while your parents are elsewhere," Richard said.

"Elsewhere?" a confused little girl asked.

"You know, somewhere where they aren't looking after you," Rory explained.

Will shook her head. "But they aren't somewhere else, they are at home, but Daddy said I was to stay here until they came to get me but I don't know when that is."

"Oh really?" Richard questioned.

"Richard, there is a number of reasons she is here at the moment, such as business commitments," Emily said before turning to the child, "What is it your father does for a living?"

"Why?" Willow asked nervously. "Why do you want to know."

"It's okay," Jess said squatting down to the girl's eye level. "We are just curious that is all."

The girl bit her lip before physically steeling herself. "And what do you do?"

Jess let out a little laugh.

"Kid's got you there, only fair," Luke said, amused as much as everyone else in the party.

"Well as you know Luke there runs the diner, Lorelai runs this place, Richard and Emily are retired," Jess explained.

"Retired?" Willow asked.

"I play a lot of golf. Do you know what golf is?" Richard said to which Willow shook her head. "It is a game with sticks and little balls."

"Like pool?" Willow asked.

"Like pool," Lorelai replied with a snigger.

"In a way, as you try and hit the balls into holes," Richard explained trying hard not to cast a look in his daughter's direction. "But you play golf out side."

Willow thought for a second. "You mean with the sticks they call clubs?"

"Why yes," Emilly said with a smile as Willow looked up with confusion at Richard.

"You tell people you play it?" Willow asked the older man. "No-one says anything?"

"Yes," Richard replied.

"But my Uncles have to sneak out and play that game," Willow said.

"Sneak out?" Emily asked.

Willow nodded emphatically. "Of course, 'cause they have to 'cause Uncle Sam says it's a cissy game and they don't like it when he makes fun of them but Grandma says that if it helps Uncle Cas get whats what and keeps people on the straight and narrow my Uncles can go hit all the little balls on the grass they like."

"Straight and narrow?" Rory asked.

"You got to stay on the straight and narrow, don't you?" Willow said. "But sometimes you need help to do it - that's what's family for."

"I guess that's right," Luke said, smirking in Jess' direction to which he tutted causing him to gain the little gir's attention.

"And what do you do?"

"I write stories," Jess quickly explained. "Just like Rory here does, but she writes for newspapers and I write for books."

"You rite stories?" Willow asked. "Do you make them up in your head or does someone put them there?"

Jess laughed. "I...well I make them up."

"That is good then, better that way," Willow replied firmly.

"Yeah, I suppose it is," Jess said with a smile. "So what does your mommy and daddy do?"

"Dad has a shop, he makes stuff and he helps out my Grandpa when he needs it and he looks after me; when Mommy has to go away to work," Willow explained.

"Really?" Emily said. "And what does your mother do?"

"She helps my Grandma at the bar and stays home when Dad goes away."

"When your Dad goes away?" Rory asked to which Willow nodded.

"Grandma said they used to go away together before the big one went down, before they had me. Then they decided that one would stay home with me when they had a gig," Willow explained. "But that means it is mostly Dad as he says Mommy is much better at the job than he is. Not that he minds as long as Mommy comes home."

"A gig?" Lorelai said. "Are your parents musicians? Do they play in a band?"

"No, they don't," Willow said.

"Then what do they do when they are away from home?" Emily asked. "And if they don't go away at the same time why are you staying with your grandparents?"

Willie's lip quivered.

"Well, don't you know young lady? What is it your parents do?" Richard asked causing Willow to burst into tears before running off.

"Great Dad!" Lorelai said as they watched the child run away.

"I only asked her a question," Richard said as Alex tugged on his father's sleeve before whispering in his ear.

"Okay – do you want to see if she is okay?" Jess said to the boys.

As the boys left Jess glowered at Richard.

"Alex says she's staying with grandparents right now because her dad's been hurt in a work accident and her mom is pregnant and the doctors have told her to stay in bed."

"Oh that is just great!" Luke said.

"How were we supposed to know?" Emily protested as Lorelai got up to find the children.

* * *

Willow was curled up crying in the back of the stables with both Jude and Alex looking at her as Lorelai found them, she quietly told the boys to go play and she would make sure that Willow was okay.

"Hey you okay? Anything I can get you?" Lorelai said as she crouched down to face the girl who promptly threw her arms around her.

"I want my Mom," Willow said between sobs.

"Okay, I guessed that," Lorelai said comforting the child.

"She said I had to be strong and big and that I'd go home soon. But I want to go home now, can I go home now?" Willow asked.

Lorelai took a breath, "I don't know honey."

"Grandma said she couldn't take care of me too. Not with Mom needing to stay in bed because of the baby and Dad being hurt and she had the bar to run and my Dad's shop while he can't work, so I had to come here. But I've been here ages, My Mom's got to be all bed rested now, can't I go home now."

"I suppose they are going to come for you when everybody's better."

"But why here? I don't know my Nana and Granddad here. I could stay with my Grandpa Bobby, I wouldn't play in the yard if he tells me not too, I promise. Or my Aunt Lisa, I know she's really busy with the new shop stuff, but I wouldn't get in the way. If not, can't I stay with Uncle Dee while he's on the road? He wouldn't lose me in a poker game or be a bad, bad influence on me and if Uncle Sammy acts wiggy at all again, I'll call Uncle Castiel straight away, he'll come. I know he would!" Willow said. "Can't I go be with them or go home? Can't you tell Nana and Granddad I'm not happy and I want to go home?"

The girl sobbed as she held onto Lorelai who didn't know what to say to that.

"You just cry it out Willow, you'll feel better after that," Lorelai said as the child continued to cry until she cried herself to sleep.

"Lorelai, her grandfather's here to pick her up," Luke said as he found his wife cradling the sleeping girl in her arms.

"Okay," Lorelai said as Luke went to pick Willow up.

* * *

Randy stood there uncomfortable in the entrance way hands in his pockets as Rory didn't know what to say to him. The frosty silence seemed to hang over the room as Luke came in to hand the child over.

"Randy Forester?" Lorelai asked confused at first why he was there. "You're Willow's grandfather."

"Yeah, I am and thank you for looking after her," Randy said, "I understand she was upset."

Lorelai looked over at her daughter who was looking sheepishly at the floor before turning her focus to the man and the child in the doorway. "That is okay. She was homesick that is all. Missing her Mom and Dad."

Randy nodded, "I know."

He shifted the sleeping child's weight to get her more comfortable.

"How's Dean?" Rory asked hestiantly. "Willow...she said her Dad was hurt. Is he alright?"

"He's doing okay now." Randy said firmly.

Rory swallowed. "She's a lovely little girl."

"Yes, she is," Randy replied.

"She has Dean's eyes," Rory said causing Randy to prickle further for a moment.

"The boys really like her," Luke said trying to ease the tense situation. "Thanks for letting her come up."

"Well…I wasn't sure that the boys were yours when they asked to come up here," Randy replied, he rubbed the sleeping child's back as she murmured a little. "But she just wanted to see the horses."

"That is understandable," Lorelai interjecting. "Little girls and horses, one of those universal constants. Up there with the tides and gravity."

"How much do I owe you for her lunch?" Randy asked Lorelai.

"We told you it is on us," Jess replied to which Randy looked at him uncomfortably.

"Sure it is," Randy said.

"Definitely, considering the service your granddaughter did our boys at school," Emily said in a helpful tone.

"What service?"

"Granny, you aren't supposed to tell about the fighting!" Jude said firmly not liking the atmosphere that had descended.

Randy clenched his jaw for a moment. "Then thank you for her lunch, though I would appreciate it if in the future you kept your boys away from her."

"Excuse me?" Richard said.

"You heard me," Randy said walking out the door.

"How rude!" Emily said as he left, "Telling us to keep the boys away from her."

"Emily, can it will you!" Jess said taking hold of Rory's hand.

"Mom?" Alex said looking up at his mother, "Does that mean I can't talk to Willie any more?"

"I think so," Rory said.

"Why?" Jude asked the adults.

"Just for a little while," Luke said.

"Why?" Alex asked.

"It's a long story kid," Jess said.

"But why?" Jude asked as Alex moved closer towards his mother.

"I…well." Rory started to say.

"What do you say that you stay over with us tonight," Lorelai said to Alex as she noted the look on her daughter's face.

"Thanks," Jess replied.


	3. Chapter 3

Hell there - next part, where that simple lunch turns into something else. Though there is no Rory in this bit.

Hope it is okay :)

* * *

"This better be good – it's two in the morning," Luke said as he came down the stairs to the banging on the door throwing it open to find a scared seven year old standing on his door step. "Willow?"

"Can you please call my Dad? Please, please, I don't know who else to ask and I know where here is. I need to tell him to come here for me! He promised that if I really needed him to come get me, he would!" Willow said as Lorelai came slowly down the stairs.

"Willow, what are you doing here, you should be in bed?" Lorelai said as the rest of the house started to stir.

The little girl flew into Lorelai's arms, "Please, can you call my Dad – I know the number. I want to talk to my Dad!"

"Honey we should call your grandparents, let them know you are safe," Lorelai said as Willow shook her head.

"No, they don't know I snuck out, they don't think I'd sneak out. But I had to, Granddad put the cell on to charge in the kitchen so I couldn't get it – they would have heard me. But I want my Dad!"

"Willow, we need to tell your Grandparents where you are," Lorelai said as Willow started to sob in her arms.

"No, they'll just come for me," came the snot filled reply. "Then they'll tell the lawyer I was getting upset again."

"What lawyer?" Luke asked tentatively as the little girl buried her head in his wife's shoulder.

"I heard, I heard them," Willow said in between the sniffles and tears. "I heard Granddad on the phone and what he said to Nana May."

"Willie?" Alex asked concerned as he and Jude watched while Lorelai tried to soothe the little girl.

"He said I was getting upset, that I picked a fight at school. He said that I've been mixing with the wrong types of people since I got here, but I didn't, I swear I didn't. I checked, just like Uncle Sammy taught me, I swear I did, I checked!" Willow said working herself up even further. "I swear I checked. Tell Granddad that he is wrong; tell him that I haven't been mixing with wrong people. I still checked, even though Daddy swore that there weren't 'wrong' people here."

Lorelai looked up at Luke for a moment before turning her attention back to the child. "Willow, are you sure you didn't mishear what they were saying?"

"Granddad was talking to a lawyer on the phone and he told him that he was going to make happen," Willow said between deep breaths.

"Make what happen?" Luke asked.

"I heard them; I heard them say that I needed a stable environment right now, that they needed help to get it for me. I heard Granddad tell Nana May that because I got upset today that they were never going to let me go home."

Luke stroked the little girl's hair as she tried to calm herself down. "Willow, I'm sure…"

"Granddad was angry and I heard him say that he was going to get things stable, that they were going to keep me away from the wrong people! But there weren't any wrong people," she said gulping for air.

"Take a moment," Lorelai said soothingly. "Take a moment and I'm sure it won't seem that bad."

"But Granddad said custody!" she yelled.

"What is custody?" Jude asked to which Luke couldn't really think of how to explain.

Willow took a breath. "I know what custody means, it means I won't ever see my Mom and Dad again."

"It doesn't mean that," Lorelai said sympathetically to the child in her arms, who had started to cry again.

"Yes it does," Willow replied. "There was a girl at my old school, her Dad talked about custody and now she has to live with him and she won't ever come home again. I don't want that, I don't want to live away from my Mom and Dad; I never did and I don't want to stay here. My Mom and Dad sent me here 'cause they needed time to get better and they didn't want me to feel bad that they couldn't play with me while they did it. They always look after me, done what is best for me, always make sure I'm happy, make sure I'm safe. Can't you tell Granddad that I didn't mean to pick a fight; I didn't mean to cry today. Tell him I didn't know I was mixing with the 'wrong' people; I can be more careful. Can't you tell them that I just want to go home?"

Lorelai just held the little girl closer, not sure what to say.

"They can't do that Dad, can they? Tell them they can't make take her away from her mom and dad!" a tired Jude said to Luke with all the certainty that the small child had that his father could sort out the problems of the world.

"Yeah Grandpa," Alex said. "They can't do that. You'll tell them they can't do that, won't you?"

"Why don't you two take Willow and go to Jude's room, while we deal with this," Luke said as the two boys who were staring up at him in hope.

"But I want to call my Dad!" Willow said standing firm.

"Okay," Lorelai replied. "But honey, we are going to have to call your grandparents as well, just to stop them worrying."

"But, they don't know I snuck out," Willow said hesitantly.

"That is the deal," Luke said. "We'll call your Dad for you, but we have got to call them as well."

Willow took a second, "I want to talk to my Dad."

* * *

"Hello?" a groggy male voice said on the end of the line.

"Dean?" Luke said, "Is that Dean Forester?"

"Yes and who's this?" the voice asked.

"It's Luke Danes, remember me?"

"Luke?" Dean replied. His voice suddenly becoming more alert, stronger.

"Yes it is – Dean, I know it is late…"

"What's happened? My parents? Willow? Luke, is she alright?" Dean said quickly.

"She's fine Dean, she's standing right here. She wants to talk to you," Luke said causing Dean to audibly relax.

"Can you put her on?" Dean said.

"Yeah sure," Luke said handing the phone to the little girl.

"Daddy? Don't be mad I know I'm up after my bed time," Willow said contritely, "I want to come home! I don't want Nana and Granddad to keep me forever. Please Dad, I want to come home. Please Daddy!"

Willow nodded as her father responded. "Yes, I'll stay here. I won't go anywhere else, I promise. Not until you tell me to."

She handed the phone to Luke, "My Dad wants to talk to you."

"Dean?"

"What is going on there?" Dean asked a tired Luke.

"She made friends with our boys…"

"Luke, what is going on?"

"She just turned up at our door asking us to call you – saying she overheard about your parents talking to a lawyer."

"What?"

"Dean, I'm sure she's got it wrong. You know what kids are like," Luke reasoned. "I'm sure that

"Why were they talking to a lawyer?" Dean asked.

Luke swallowed unsure how to phrase this. "Dean, Willow says that she overheard them talking about custody."

"They better not have," came the cold and quiet reply. "I'm in Nebraska right now, but I can be with you first thing."

"Look Dean," Luke started. "I don't know if it…"

"I'll be there morning, I take it Lorelai and you are still in the crap shack?" Dean asked.

"Yeah. But Dean, it isn't a good idea for me and Lorelai to get in the middle of whatever is going on with your family. Not with everything that has happened."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Dean asked.

"You know what that means."

Dean was silent for a moment, obviously he was thinking, "I can get someone to pick her up earlier than I can get there, just don't let my parents take her. We'll be out of your hair before you know it."

"But..."

"Luke, I'm going to be in Stars Hollow first thing, you can tell me then," Dean said cutting the line dead.

Luke turned round to see his wife and three small faces looking at him.

"Well?" Lorelai asked.

"He says he's going to send someone round to pick her up and he'll be here in the morning first thing." Luke said causing Willow to smile before taking Jude by the hand and allowing herself to be lead to his room.

Lorelai nodded, "We'll still have to call Randy and May."

"Yeah," Luke nodded. "Dean asked us to make sure they didn't take her."

"Oh, that is going to work out well."

* * *

Dean Forester stretched his leg, judging the strength of it before gingerly putting weight on it. He stifled a cry as he stood up trying not to wake Jo. Hopefully by the time she woke up Willow would either be tucked up safe and sound or hopefully on the way home.

He got to the hallway grabbing his jacket, before he dialed a familiar number on his cell, "Hey Sam? It's me…no, Jo and the baby are fine, but thanks for asking. The reason I'm calling is…are you two still on that job in New York? You are thank God – I need a favor…how fast can you guys get to Connecticut?"

"Where the hell do you think you are going?" Ellen asked as she caught him trying to sneak out of the house.

Forester tensed before turning to face his mother-in-law, "I'll be back soon."

"You shouldn't be out of bed," Ellen said firmly.

"I'm not an invalid," he retorted angrily.

She sighed. "Dean, you need your rest."

"I know, but it is an emergency."

"What? Is she out of pickles again?" Ellen said mockingly.

Dean took a deep breath. "No, but I have to go. I'll call as soon as I get there, which if I'm lucky won't be too long after Jo notices I'm gone and I'll have Willow with me, okay."

"What? What's happened?" Ellen said panicking, "She okay? Christ, I knew sending her off to your folks was a bad idea."

"It wasn't like we had an option, was it?" Forester said, "Not with both me and Jo out of action. You couldn't deal with everything, Ellen."

"Has something…." Ellen started to say.

"Looks like my parents are being my parents," Forester said angrily. "She overheard them talking to a lawyer. She heard them talking about custody, Ellen. She over heard MY parents talking about taking MY daughter away from us. Now she's hiding from them, she run away and is hiding from them at Lorelai Gilmore's fucking house."

Ellen nodded, understanding his anger at the situation, how nothing would get him to go and rest, that he needed to be the one to go get his child home, before Jo woke up, before she realized what was going on. She had almost lost the baby she was carrying once; he wasn't going to risk it again unless he had to.

"I can get a flight to Hartford."

"You ain't in any fit state to get anywhere," Ellen said.

"I'm not staying," Forester stated. "I called Sam; they are going to take care of her until I get there."

Ellen nodded.

He looked towards the bedroom.

"I'll tell her not to worry that you've gone to take care of her baby," Ellen said noting the expression on his face. "She's just to take care of the other one."

"Thanks Ellen."

"But, I'm telling her when I get back – because I'm making sure you get to the airport so you can bring my grandbaby home."


	4. Chapter 4

Hello there - okay, I have tried, I admit I have tried to whittle it down, but there may be sections of this that you may not understand if you haven't read the Dog Diner Story, so sorry if this forces you to have a dander at that one. And yes before I know I have this in the wrong section (it should be in the crossover one but I started it here so I'm going to finish it here I think)

Also if you find mistakes let me know - grammar/spelling is not my friend.

* * *

Luke sat there as Randy continued to pace around the living room, while May and Lorelai tried to talk the children out of Jude's bedroom – they had barricaded themselves inside the second that they had heard Willow's grandparents come in.

"Willow, come out, we'll talk about it," May said calmly trying to sweet talk her way inside.

"No!" Willow yelled back through the door.

"Her Daddy said that she was to stay here!" Jude added.

"Jude, open the door!" Lorelai said firmly.

"We can't do that Grandma, Willow doesn't want to go!" Alex yelled back in response.

-o-

"It might be for the best if you let her stay here tonight," Luke suggested to Randy as the women continued to try to get the kids to come around.

"No, it wouldn't," Randy stated.

Luke ran a tired hand over his face. "Well those kids aren't opening the door for us, but maybe if…"

"We can sort this out here and now. We don't need to get anyone else to get involved."

"Randy," Luke said exasperated.

"No, you look – she is coming back with us. She is not staying here."

"It isn't like she is going anywhere else, is she? Me and Lorelai will be here for her if she comes out."

"Like me and May wouldn't be?"

"I didn't mean it like that," Luke tiredly replied.

"Yeah, right," Randy angrily.

Luke sighed. "Randy."

The older man took a calming breath. "I appreciate that she had somewhere to go, but it is best for Willow to go home."

Luke let out a little involuntary tired laugh. "Yeah, well I think that is what she wants too."

Randy clenched his jaw.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that," Luke admitted. "She seems determined to stay here till her Dad comes as she doesn't trust any of us right and if you and May keep refusing to have us call Rory and Jess for them to try and talk the kids round, then why don't you let Willow stay tonight and you can sort out things out with Dean when he gets here."

"I don't need your advice on this," Randy spat out.

"Alex is their kid – they have the right to have the choice to come down here."

"We don't need them here; we can talk them out of that room ourselves."

"I'm trying to help your family."

"Like you have any idea what is happening in my family."

"Don't I?" Luke said. "I was there Randy. You weren't."

"What?" Randy asked. "Are you saying I'm not there for them?"

"I was in that diner when he went with those people and I understand if you want to protect Willow from that if Dean is still involved, but she is frightened out of her mind right now."

"Like you really gave him a choice about staying here."

"It wasn't like that and you know it. We told everybody what we could, that Dean wasn't responsible."

"Yes, I know and we are so grateful you backed up Clara," Randy added mockingly. "For confirming that my son shouldn't become a fugitive because he was actually the victim, yeah thanks for that."

"And what exactly did you expect us to do?" Luke replied tiredly to which Randy gave him a stony silent response. "He wasn't going to stay Randy, he was going with them no matter what anyone said to him and I admit I don't understand what he was going into but Dean chose it and he did it with his eyes wide open."

"Really?" Randy asked. "But what can I expect from your family."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"She was starting to settle down, she was starting to get use to us, to the town then she started hanging with those boys – now she was getting in fights and getting upset. Just like her father did when he got involved with the Gilmores'."

"What?"

"You heard me," Randy said.

"Should we be going over what happened years ago when we have other things to deal with right now? Because it isn't helping Willow," Luke asked as he gestured towards the Jude's bedroom.

"Helping my granddaughter isn't anything to do with you, Luke," Randy said firmly as the two women continued fruitlessly trying to take to through the door.

-o-

"She's good at this isn't she," Lorelai said to May continued to talk through the door to the kids.

"Her father's last resort at her age was to hold his breath," May explained. "I'm sorry you were dragged into this."

Lorelai took a moment "How is he? How's Dean doing?"

May tried to hold back the tears. "Honestly, I don't really know. We got this call to say he was hurt and that Jo …she had almost lost the baby and they needed someone to take care of Willow."

"I'm sorry."

"Randy, he wasn't sure we should take her," May admitted.

"Why?"

"Because everything is so mixed up." May explained. "Oh God, Lorelai, when we finally got there to pick her up…Dean, my baby boy was so beat up and in that wheel chair. As for Joanne, she'd had such a difficult pregnancy already this time, but….but …; they found her passed out in the hospital corridor. The stress of everything sent her blood pressure so high that the doctors said that there was a chance that they could have lost both of them, and Willow saw it all. She was there when they found her mother, Lorelai. She was so scared when we got there and when it came time to leave – she hung on to Dean so tight that I swear I thought she'd never let go."

"Oh god," Lorelai replied.

"Dean didn't know if he should call us to tell us what happened, let alone ask for help to take care of Willow."

"Why?"

"They didn't tell us about Willow until she was almost a year old; until after everything was more settled."

"More settled?" Lorelai asked. "And that is the reason he kept your granddaughter from you?"

"When he called us to tell us about her, he'd only seen his own child once. He said it was because it hadn't been safe, that he'd had to play decoy for …oh, I don't understand it. He just kept on saying that he had to be sure it was over, that it was safe before he could tell us."

"Safe?" Lorelai asked tentatively.

"Rory at least keeps you in the loop – you see your grandson almost every day. He's best friends with your Jude. You know what Rory is doing – her articles her and her husband's books, her trips abroad, you must be so proud."

Lorelai nodded, "I am."

"As for Dean – I have no idea; we talk on the phone and he invites us over for holidays, but there is so much he doesn't say and…I'd be lucky to see Willow twice a year."

"May, you should say something to Dean – you can't not see your grandchildren."

"It isn't just Dean. It's Randy as well, the two of them. Dean's so different now – so much harder," May explained. "Before, when he lived here he'd stand there and at least listen but the second that Randy starts about how Dean and Joanne could give Willow a more settled life that we would help them move Dean's business if that was holding them back, Dean just walks out. He says that Willow has a stable life and that we don't know understand what we are talking about and we wouldn't really want to."

Lorelai nodded, unsure what to say.

"There is so many people coming and going from their house I never know what to expect, it's like they are an over flow for Joanne's mother's Inn."

"Joanne's mom has an Inn?" Lorelai asked focusing on a point of common reference.

"It's one step away from a truck stop really," May explained. "And I'm not saying anything against Joanne and her mother. Joanne's good for Dean and she's strong and smart and Willow loves her so much and they never have people staying who don't treat them with respect."

"But if Dean is sure that things are 'safe' and Joanne is good for him then why talk about custody?"

"It was never the idea, believe me," May started. "Randy first talked about calling a lawyer just to find out where we stand legally while we look after her."

"Okay that makes sense," Lorelai admitted.

"But when he came home, he was so angry," May started to say. "It's my fault for mentioning it in the first place."

"Mentioning what?"

"I'm not saying my son is a bad father, he's not and Randy was against it until we found out about the fighting and when she said that the boy was a fourth grader too."

"Frankie Cranmuir," Lorelai said knowingly. "It's how the kids met. She saved the boys."

"But a boy twice her size?" May asked.

"It is something isn't it? She wasn't picking a fight with a smaller kid for the fun of it." Lorelai replied.

"But with he found that out, that she was getting upset, Randy said that I was right that maybe she might need help."

"Help?"

"I just thought it might be an idea to have her talk to a professional," May explained. "I'm not saying there is anything 'wrong' with her, I just want her to be happy while she is with us."

"May, you can't think she won't get upset," Lorelai said. "She almost lost her parents and she is staying with people she barely knows. I'm not saying it is your fault, but she is going to act up."

"It isn't just that Lorelai, the first few nights after she came to us," May took a moment. "Lorelai, I caught her laying salt lines around the house. She'd been laying them every night and getting up before us to clean them away so we'd never know she was doing it."

"Why?"

"To keep the bad things away she said, to keep us safe because she didn't know the place," May replied. "Randy said give it time, that she was just doing it as a way to keep in control of what was happening to her and maybe to test us, to see if what we'd do when we found out."

Lorelai nodded, understanding May's concern at Willow's behavior, but she also remembered exactly what had happened the last time she had seen Dean, remembered being told that something as simple as salt or iron keep the unnatural away. So, if a line of salt made a scared little girl feel safe in a new place, then you laid a line of salt or in the case of Rory and Jess, you get the antique pure iron fire set that Luke had found for their first house, even though they knew that they didn't have a working fireplace. "May, is that really so bad?"

"I don't know, but it isn't normal and I've heard her on the phone to her mother, the way she talks sometimes," May said. "But today when Randy found her upset and finding out it was your boys she was friends with, he changed his mind; but the lawyer said if we were going to push for it that we'd need to get temporary custody."

"Why does my boys….?" Lorelai sighed. "We're the wrong people she heard you talking about, not what Dean was…."

May looked away for a moment. "Randy's just scared that everything that happened with Dean is going to repeat."

"Repeat?"

"Lorelai, I'm not saying that my son is perfect, that he shouldn't have been stronger, wiser, that him and Lindsay wouldn't have gotten married and eventually split up, that he shouldn't have just let it go and walked away. I'm not even saying that she set out to keep hurting him deliberately but ultimately your daughter was nothing but bad news for my boy," May said with a weary honesty.

"What?"

"I'm not saying he wasn't responsible for his own actions but every time Dean got into trouble in this town, somehow, Rory was there in the background. If he hadn't gotten involved with her, Dean's life would have been very different."

Lorelai swallowed down the bile, not sure how to react to the sentiment; instead deciding to concentrate on the here and now. "But that doesn't mean that you have to over react with Willow."

"Lorelai, when your family comes near mine; it is mine that comes off worse," May replied. "And we aren't going to risk it happening again, not with Willow. But if she has called Dean and he's sending someone to get her then I don't know when I'll see her or them again."

"Hey at least we know they haven't gone through the window," Lorelai said hopefully trying not to dwell on May's words, instead focusing on the fact that the children were still to be heard inside the room.

May shook her head. "She'll stay put until Dean or whoever he sent comes for her. It isn't much, but she'll do that."

"You sure?" Lorelai asked to which May nodded.

"It's the one thing I can be sure of," May said firmly.

-o-

The three children sat with their backs to the door when they heard a tap at the back window, Willow jumped up running over to the bed frame they had put in front of it to make sure it was secure. "I'm not coming out! I want to see my Dad."

"That is what I believe is to occur," a voice replied.

"Uncle Cas!" Willow yelled as she started to scramble to pull the furniture away from the window, before stopping. "How do I know it is really you?"

There was silence for a moment, until Alex felt a hand on his shoulder. The little boy froze before he turned around to see a tall disheveled man in a trench coat.

"I understand your concerns," the man said.

"Who…how…who are y…you?" Alex mumbled.

"Uncle Cas" Willow said running to jump into the man's arms.

"Willie, we should get away from him," Jude said pulling Alex back towards him.

The little girl turned to the boys. "It's okay, this is my Uncle Castiel, he's okay, he's safe."

Jude shook his head as the man put Willow back down on the floor. She grabbed both boys by the hand, pulling them unwillingly towards the large man.

"Willie, I don't want to." Alex whined.

"Guys, it's okay this is my Uncle," Willow explained. "He's an angel. Really, he's an angel and he's a good one too. Because lots of them are douches, but not Uncle Cas."

"Willow, you should not use language like that," Cas chided the child.

"I'm sorry Uncle Cas." The girl replied before turning back to the boys.

Alex hesitated for a moment, "What?"

"Really, he's an angel," Willow explained. "He's really cool and my Mom and Dad help him sometimes."

"Really?" Alex said before Castiel nodded before taking a step back to cast a giant shadow on the wall. The little boy swallowed. "Wow."

Jude hesitatingly took a step forward putting a hand towards the shadow before it hit a downy texture that his eyes couldn't see. He took a second stroking the invisible barrier. "Way cool!."

"See he's really an angel," Willow said happily.

"Alex, you got to see this," Jude said as he continued to feel the feathers in front of him.

"I don't know," Alex replied still unsure.

"It's okay," the man said calmingly. "I will allow it."

Willow took Alex by the hand, "If Uncle Cas says it's okay, it's okay. Because we are only allowed to touch his wings when he says it's okay."

Alex felt the soft but sharp texture before focusing on the shadow on the wall. "How do you do that?"

"There are many things that are only partly on this plane of existence," the man calmly said.

"Plane of existence?" Alex carefully repeated.

"Am I going home now?" Willow asked the large man hopefully. "I know Daddy doesn't like it when you take me places, but are you going to take me home?"

Castiel shook his head. "No, I was asked to assess your welfare before your Uncles came to collect you."

"Please," Willow said as she started to whine.

"You know that will not work," Castiel said before turning to the boys. "Are you friends with Willow."

Alex nodded. "Yes sir. I'm Alex and this is Jude. It's his house, sir."

"Why are you calling him sir?" Jude asked Alex.

"He's an angel," Alex whispered in response. "Like in the books."

"May I ask what books?" Castiel questioned sheathing his wings as the banging on the door intensified.

"Luke! I can hear another voice in there!" the children heard Lorelai scream. "There is someone in there with the kids."

"I believe I should go," Castiel said to the children.

"No, don't please," Willow said as someone began to try and break the door down.

"Your Uncles will be here soon," Castiel stated bending down to face the girl. "And I shall not go far."

"Please don't go away to watch. Please stay or take me with you. Please Uncle Cassy, please!" Willow said beginning to cry.

"Willow," Cas said soothingly as the little girl buried herself in his chest.

"Mr. Angel man, sir, what's going to happen now?" Alex said weakly tugging on Cas' coat as the banging on the door grew louder causing Willow to cling tighter.

"Uncle Cassy, I'm really scared," Willow admitted as the barricade began to budge.

"Boys!" Lorelai yelled as Randy and Luke continued to try and kick in the door. "Jude, Alex?"

"Uncle Cassy please, please, I want my Daddy," Willow said with tears in her eyes.

Castiel nodded as he assessed the situation, wrapping his arms around the little girl as he stood up. "I suppose it is just a short trip to your Uncles."

"Thank you!" Willow replied.

"Where are you going?" Jude asked as he nervously grabbed onto Alex's hand while the door started to give.

"I am taking Willow to be with people so she feels safe."

"But you aren't taking her home, we promised we'd stay with her until she knew she was going home, so you aren't taking her without us!" Alex stated in a firm but anxious voice.

"Yeah, so we'll stop you," Jude said to which the angel seemed taken aback.

"Why?" Castiel asked. "I am taking Willow to her family."

"How do we know that?" Jude asked nervously as the shouting and banging behind the door intensified causing Alex to jerk a little in surprised.

"Are you two frightened?" Castiel asked the boys to which both nodded.

Castiel sighed. "Then as you wish."


	5. Chapter 5

Okay this has been long in the writing and yes I know before anyone says it!

As for the idea of epilepsy meds - just a thought of one of the possible ways that Sam may be dealing with the wall in years to come, not that it is majorly important but just something that popped into my head and made the converstation flow.

* * *

"Okay if we turn left at the main street; then you take the third on the right you should be at the bottom of the right block." Sam Winchester said examining the map on his lap.

"You know if they actually signposted this town correctly and not with those stupid oldie worldie tourist signs then we would have found the place already." Dean Winchester said angrily as he continued to stare at the road.

"The signs are like everywhere else, Dean."

"The writing is fucked up I tell you."

"I admit the lighting is shit but the writing is not fucked up." Sam sighed as his brother scowled at him. "Seriously Dean, I think you may need glasses."

"I do not!"

"Can't you go get your eyes tested," Sam said. "If you don't do it soon, I am taking the keys off of you."

"No, you are not."

"Dean," Sam replied. "Accept it, deal with it – you are getting old."

"I am not even 40 yet," Dean protested.

"Sure Dean."

"I don't need glasses!"

"And I have never had the need to get an epilepsy script filled have I?"

"Oh that is low, that is real low Sam!" Dean said as he continued to cruise down the road at 10 miles per hour as he tried to read the street signs.

"Hey you got the thing put in my head; so excuse me if I remind you what I go through keeping it in place."

Dean grumbled as he continued to drive.

"Anyways, I thought everyone was using emotional blackmail tonight."

Dean glared at his brother out of the corner of his eye.

"Hey, I wasn't the one who said _"Just check how she is doing because how would Jimmy feel if it was Claire.""_

"You were the stupid Bitch who got me up at a stupid hour in the morning, because you got a phone call."

"Yeah, like you wouldn't have kicked me in the ass if I hadn't woken you up to come with me, you old jerk."

"Like you didn't need me; but I still think we should go pick up her stuff," Dean reasoned as he turned the corner.

"Their son is on his way here," Sam said. "They'd give her stuff to him."

"Yeah right," Dean Winchester said. "Like they'll do that."

"All we got is a message that a seven year old overheard a phone conversation," Sam said. "We are just going to see that she is okay until Forester gets here."

"Yeah, and we all know what Randy Forester thinks of his son's life right now and of…me," Dean Winchester said.

Sam sighed. "Fine Dean, I'll walk into that house. Like that is going make this situation any better."

"I am not going into that house just to sit there – she is not staying, mixed up phone conversation or not, if the Munchkin is scared enough to send up a flare then she is not staying in this stupid twilight zone of a town and if that means you come in there with me so you can deal with Randy for once, then you are doing it."

Sam tensed. "Great."

"Hey, let's not go there," Dean said putting a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder. "We all got enough blame going around. As for Forester, Jo and his folks, they'll get over this somehow; they'll work it out, okay. But the kid comes with us."

"Okay, we pick Willow up, then what? Where exactly is she going to stay? No way is Bobby's a place for a little girl without someone looking out for her 24-7 and we don't exactly have a place?"

"Then we stay at Bobby's or I'll talk to Lisa," Dean said. "See if I can sleep on her couch so the Munchkin can stay at her place while the studio is opened."

"Oh really, sleep on her couch?" Sam asked.

"Yes, sleep on her couch Sam. Hell, I'll sleep in her garage if I have to and stop looking at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Jesus, you are worse than Ben sometimes, it is not going work," Dean said. "Lise was willing to take Willow if it hadn't been for the fact they can't put back the launch anymore that is it. As for me and her, we are adults; we can deal with our crap long enough to at least help out friends who need someone to help out with their kid so don't you get any ideas."

"Ideas?"

"Hey, this is about Willie okay. She's family, remember."

"Yeah, family," Sam replied. "We owe Forester and Jo at least that."

"Can you do the emo thing when we hand his daughter back to him, the two of you do it so well," Dean said with a smile.

"Uncle Dee!" Will screamed causing Dean to slam on the brakes.

"Munchkin?" Dean asked as he twisted around to find a very crowded back seat. "What are you doing….Cas?"

"They were frightened." The angel simply stated as the Winchester's waited for an explanation.

"You came for me, Uncle Dee!"

"Dean, Uncle Dean," Dean Winchester said. "You're old enought to knock off the Dee stuff."

"Yes Uncle Dean, but you came," Willow said with a big grin on her face. "Uncle Cas said you were coming for me and that he would take us to you and he did. And you here for me!" Willow said stretching out her arms excitedly before stopping, hesitated the moment she saw Sam. She stared at him for a second. "Cristo!"

Dean hesitated for a moment, still stunned before he grabbed his chest before slumping in his seat.

"Is he alright?" asked one of the boys as Willow started to giggle while Dean Winchester opened an eye, causing his brother to tut.

"He's okay, he's just my Uncle Dean," Willow said.

"The one you said your mom thought would lose you in a poker game?" Jude asked Willow, who nodded before turning to look at the other man.

"It's okay Munchkin, we're clean, so come on," Dean said gesturing to the girl to come to him causing her to clamber over the front seat to give him a big hug.

"Where are we?" Alex asked as he sat side by side with Jude.

"I believe we are within the town limits of Stars Hollow," Castiel replied.

"Cas, who are they?" Sam asked the angel as he looked at the children.

"They are Willow's friends. They asked to accompany us."

"When we asked you to check if she was alright, we meant check," Sam replied. "Not for you to bring her and half her class to us."

"This is Alex and Jude, Uncle Sam," Willow said at high speed. "They told Uncle Cas that they wanted to know where he was taking me and the noise when the door started to bang was so loud and scary that Uncle Cas took us to you."

"Yes these children were very earnest in their request," Castiel replied. "I thought it best to bring them with us due to the circumstances. Are we staying on this road long?"

"What does Willow mean - the door started to bang?" Sam asked tentatively.

"But Dad said I was to stay in Stars Hollow, until he came," Willow interjected, before Castiel got a chance to speak. The little girl looked around the adults anxiously causing Sam to nod and take out his cell.

"Call home – he's on his way now, but your Grandma Ellen will tell you he told us to collect you, we are going to take you to him," Sam said to Willow.

Willow didn't move to take it. Instead turning to Dean and asking for his phone instead.

"Ain't my fault the kid loves me more than you," Dean said to his brother as Sam put on a slightly hurt expression.

"Right."

"I'm not the one that had the demon girlfriend, am I?"

"Like that is the only thing," Sam mumbled causing his brother to quickly glare at him.

"Demon?" Alex asked Willow quietly.

"Demons are bad, you got to stay away from them," Willow explained before looking at Sam.

"That is correct, Willow," Castiel said.

"See," Dean said getting out of the car before helping the child out of the seat and handing her his cell to make her call. As she began to talk down the phone he looked back inside the Impala at his brother. "You can't be the one who tells the kid how to stay away from them, and then think she'll be okay when she finds out that back in the day you played hide the peanut with the one who used to pick on her Dad."

"Dean…, why the hell do I bother" Sam said.

"Come on Sam, you can't deny it now that she knows about Ruby. Or are you going to say it wasn't a peanut?" Dean asked. "Something smaller?"

"Do you really have to do this now?" Sam asked gesturing to the confused faces in front of him.

"Fine whatever, just saying now Munchkin knows, it is going to take time for her to forgive you," Dean said before turning his attention to two little boys sitting in the back seat, "So kids, who are you?"

Jude looked out the car window at Willow for a moment as she talked down the cell before nervously answering, "I'm Jude…Jude Danes and this is Alex Mariano."

"I found the children at the home of this one, which is where we came from" Castiel said putting a hand on Jude's shoulder.

"You took them from the kid's house?" Sam asked slightly horrified.

"It's after 4am Sam, where did you think that three kids would be?" Dean asked his brother before turning to the angel.

"Why did you think grabbing them was a good idea?" Dean asked before running a hand over his face. "Please tell you had a reason other than the kids looked at you with … earnest?"

"And what has it got to do with loud door banging?'" Sam asked

"The children had fortified themselves in the boy's bedroom," Castiel explained "I believe the boy's parents as well as Willow's grandparents were trying to force entry. It was causing the three to become frightened."

"Force entry?" Sam slowly asked.

"When they realized I was present in the child's room, it seemed to cause the adults concern," Castiel explained.

Dean let out a laugh, "You think?"

"Yes," Castiel replied. "As you asked earlier, how would Jimmy feel if I left Claire was in such a situation when she was at that age. He would not be happy if I did nothing."

"Okay, right," Sam interjected as his brother seemed lost for words at that point, before putting a hand out to the kid. "Hello Jude, sorry about us causing all these problems."

The boy hesitated, not sure what he was supposed to do.

"Oh, you are such a hit with the kids tonight, aren't you," Dean said mockingly to his brother before turning his attention back to the boys, "So Jude, Alex before you two became 'frightened', what were your intentions towards young Willow here?"

"What?" both boys asked.

"Your intentions – the two of you get a young girl alone in your room and you block the doorways. I'm going to ask."

"Why?" Jude asked confused as he could see Willow was continuing her conversation with whoever it was she had called.

"Okay, I'm guessing you two are just getting out of the girls have cooties stage, which is good," Dean said with a smile.

"Dean!" Sam said to his brother disapprovingly.

"It's okay Sam," Dean said with a smirk. He began to address the two boys again. "So do you two have prospects? – got a job yet, a career or have you not settled on what you want to do yet? These are important questions. Her dad is going to want to know these things – us finding his little girl in a compromising position with the two of you. If we are going to reassure him that nothing was going on, he'll want to know that you are good kids that at least past kindergarten."

Both little boys sat there blankly staring at the man.

"Knock it off Dean," Sam said seeing the boys' faces.

"What?" Dean protested, "She's the closest thing I'm ever going to have to a niece."

"Shut up," Sam said.

"I'm just saying. Unless you are going to tell me that you got someone serious that you haven't told me about?" Dean said with a smirk.

"You know, I can say the exact same thing, no wait there is someone - if you two would sort out your...stuff."

"Butt out of it Sam." Dean retorted. "I wasn't talking about me."

"Sort out your own relationships." Sam said bitterly causing his brother to give him a questioning look.

"Okay, I admit it, I'm hiding the fact that there is someone out there who I really care about and that I want to put them through what can happen if the wall comes down for even a second. Like it isn't bad enough when I wake up and find out what has happened to you guys who have some idea what to expect," Sam said causing his brother to mumble something about being quiet about the 'lunch' thing as Willow walked up to him to hand over the phone.

"Have you been affected recently?" Castiel asked Sam.

"No," Sam said with a shake of his head. "But can we talk about that when we don't have company? These kids are 'nervous' as it is."

"Fine," Dean took a breath before turning to the Willow to give her a smile. "So girl, you two timing me or what?"

"What?" Willow asked.

"I thought the plan was to wait till you were 18 then you and me would run away to Disneyland and give your parents that coronary, they are so heading for – that would be before your grandma shot me."

Willow giggled, "You're funny Uncle Dean."

"Well, you go away for a couple of weeks – and you go get not just one boyfriend but two of them," Dean said to the little girl. "I thought if you were going to dump me it was going to be for Ben, not for a couple of guys you just met."

"I'm not her boyfriend!" Jude said firmly.

"Really?" Dean said sarcastically, "How old are you kid?"

Jude looked at the man, not sure why he was asking this.

"Jude is in the same grade as I am Uncle Dean, and so is Alex," Willow said.

"So what seven, eight?" Dean questioned. He turned to the boy, "You know if it wasn't Willie here I'd be impressed getting a girl who isn't your girlfriend to spend the night in your room. Though there being two of you and that you blocked the door, you really got to rethink your technique as you guys are going to find yourself in real trouble."

"Sorry Jude, ignore my brother," Sam said gesturing to Willow, "Come on, get in. It's time to go."

"Yeah, best we get you out of here, because you, young lady are going to have to come up with one hell of a story before your father sees you," Dean said as she climbed into the front seat.

"Where are we going?" Jude asked causing the three men to look at him.

"Dean, what are we going to do with them?" Sam asked.

"I don't know."

"I don't not believe returning them to the house I found them would be for the best," Castiel stated. "There was anger and apprehension when I was there."

"Cas, I'm thinking they might have been a good reason for that," Sam replied.

"We can't stay here," Dean reasoned firmly as his brother and the angel weighed options.

"If you don't tell us where we are going right now, we will scream!" Alex said firmly as Jude took a large intake of breath causing Dean to clamp his hand over the child's mouth.

"Okay, okay – just keep quiet."

"Great Dean, what are we going to do with them?" Sam asked as he grabbed hold of a squirming Alex.

"Oh I don't know, start a crèche – you're the one with the bright ideas not me,"

"Bright ideas "Mr. '_Let's get Cas to go check in on her''_" Sam retorted as the child struggled in his arms.

"We could drop him off at Alex's place," Willow offered as a suggestion causing the two boys to still. "He said it wasn't too far from Jude's."

"I could take them there," Castiel offered as the small girl slipped her hand into his to clamber back into the rear seat and onto the Angel's lap.

"Hell no," Dean said looking over at the angel as he let go of Jude. "Explaining to her parents why she can't go poop is going to be bad enough."

"But it wasn't like last time, Uncle Cas didn't take me to Australia," Willow pointed out, to which Sam sighed.

"Oz or across town, it doesn't matter Willie," Dean replied to the child. "Uncle Cas isn't going to take two kids he doesn't know on a second trip. Hell, they'd be on laxatives before they know it, let alone the therapy their parents will make them get."

"Fine, but even if he doesn't that at least means we now have a plan where to can possible take them," Sam said to his brother before turning to the smaller of the two boys. "Okay Alex, you want to tell us where to go?"


	6. Chapter 6

Right, I have caused the accidently heavenly kidnapping of three children so her is me trying to put it right as I only have 2 chapters to go after this one, so I have to sort this out :)

Hope it makes sense in it's own rambling sort of way and as you can see I've posted it without anyone else correcting my bad spelling etc so feel free to point any mistakes out.

A/N When Rory and Jess talk about Dean they mean Dean Forester and the kids say Uncle Dean...well you know what I am going to say as I had them turn up earlier.

Okay the note - the italic portions were meant to be struck through, but I don't know how to make that work on this site as it keeps reverting to being strike free. If anyone has any idea how to let make it work as I want it too please let me know.

* * *

"What?" Rory said as she talked on the phone, "Mom, no what? Mom….but how can they just disappear from inside a room? We'll be right over. No I am not going to wait here for the police"

"What is going on?" Jess asked as his wife talked down the phone.

"The boys, they're gone," she replied.

"What do you mean gone?" Jess said slowly.

Rory's lip quivered. "They just disappeared out of Jude's room."

"What?" Jess said jumping out of bed as Rory put the phone down.

"The kids, they're gone. My mom said they are gone," Rory said scrambling around, "I need to get over there."

"Rory, what happened?" Jess asked grabbing hold of Rory's shaking hands, "What did Lorelai say?"

Rory took a breath, "Mom said that Willow came over; that she needed to call Dean because her grandparents had been talking. Luke talked to Dean said he was going to catch a plane and be here in the morning, but he'd send someone who might be able to get there quicker. He asked them not to let his parents take her. But, Mom and Luke called them to let them know she was okay. The kids barricaded themselves in Jude's room, but then they were gone. They heard voices, and the kids were just gone from the room."

"Okay," Jude said nodding, "What are the cops saying?"

"I…, she said that the police said they were coming over here," Rory started to say. "They are coming here that they want pictures and some of Alex's clothes from here, so they know there his – that they, might need some if they have to bring in dogs. God, they do that Jess, don't they….they'll bring dogs to look for them. Mom said they didn't car, which means that they might on the streets. Someone has them out on the streets."

"You get dressed," Jess said trying to calm her down. "I'll get a sweater from his hamper. I'll be a minute and then we'll get over to Luke and Lorelai's okay. We'll get what the cops want, and then we'll find them."

"I…."

"Rory, get dressed." Jess said as Rory continued to ramble.

"But Alex…Dean, oh god, Dean, if he is on his way then he won't know that Willow's and oh what if, what if. Randy and May are there aren't they…Alex knows not to go with someone he doesn't know and how can he just disappear from a room."

"If Randy and May are there then the kids could have just gone out of the window," Jess reason trying to get Rory to focus.

"But, Mom said that they heard a voice, a man's voice and the window was closed." Rory said.

"Rory, that house is falling apart, no matter how much work Luke does to it – The window could have just easily closed behind them."

She stilled for a moment, "Jess, why would someone take them?"

"Rory, get dressed," Jess said calmly. "I'll be back in five minutes!"

* * *

He quietly closed the door as he finally got her to go for some clothes, going for his cell phone calling a number in the hope of getting more information. "Luke, what is going on?"

"Jess?" the anxious voice replied. "All I know is that the three of them where here and now they are gone."

"What are the cops saying?" Jess asked, only to met with silence for a second.

"The Foresters are getting the third degree; the cops want to know who Dean could possibly have meant told me he'd send someone for Willow," Luke replied. "Jesus Jess, they think Dean took them."

"Could he have?"

"He was flying in from out of state, so I think we can rule him out," Luke said.

Jess inhaled. "Luke, I…"

"Jesus Jess, this is a mess," Luke replied.

"And there is no chance that Jude didn't just take the other two out the window? Closed it behind him?" Jess asked hopefully.

"No, there was someone in there with them and the kids had blocked the window off with the bed. I don't know how, but someone was in there and they took them before I could get the damn door to move."

"How?"

"Dean said he was sending someone….he could of…."

"No," Jess said firmly understanding immediately what his Uncle was saying.

"We don't know what those things can do or if he's still mixed up in that – Willow kept on going on about checking for 'wrong' people."

"He wouldn't, Dean Forester wouldn't send one after our kids and definitely not his own," Jess argued.

"I hope not," Luke said. "But Jess, they were just gone and I don't know how to explain it. I should have gotten into that room quicker.

"What do Dean's parents say, do they have any idea?" Jess asked anxiously.

Luke hesitated. "Jess, seriously they don't have any fucking clue and if they do, they are definitely not tell us."

"Luke, me and Rory will be there as soon," Jess said. "We are getting some of Alex's clothes and we are coming straight over. You tell the cops that."

"Sure Jess, we…Jess, Lorelai's just got another call," Luke replied.

"Fine, but if you hear anything you'll call?" Jess asked as he got to the end of the hall and opened the door.

* * *

"Oh shit!" a voice said as Jess looked at a familiar face standing in the open window of his son's room. A face that promptly seemed to quickly disappear as the man seemed to loose his footing and fall off the porch shingle roof. Jess dropped the cell and ran to the window where he caught a glimpse of the prone form slowly getting to his feet.

"Dean! Forester you stop right there!" Jess yelled as the man started to limp away.

"Dad?" a voice came from behind him causing him to whip round.

"Alex? Alex, are you okay?" Jess said running over to his son's bed stopping in surprise as he saw both boys sitting on the bed.

"Jude? You're here too," he said seeing the boys scared faces at his reaction to their presence, though part of him didn't care, grabbing hold of them hugging him tightly, "You're safe now, no-one is going to hurt you, He didn't hurt you did he? He didn't hurt either of you did he?"

"No Dad, Willie's Uncle didn't hurt us" Alex replied.

"What?" Jess asked as the tears began to roll. "Uncle?"

"Yeah, Willie's Uncle Sam," Jude said. "He was just dropping us off."

"No he wasn't," Alex argued glaring at Jude. "He said that we couldn't go with them, but he was going to stay with us until he knew that theere was a grown up here to look after us."

"Wait, are you saying that was Willie's Uncle?" Jess said glancing in the direction of the window.

"Yep, we weren't allowed to stay with them, even though we said that we promised to stay with Willie until she knew her dad was on his way. They told us that didn't matter and that they were dropping us off, whether we liked it or not," Jude said. "But we got to climb up the side of the house, which was really fun."

"They?" Jess asked.

"Yeah, the angel couldn't take us this time, that's why it took so much longer," Alex replied.

"Longer?" Jess asked.

"Yeah, they had to drive to get here and Alex directions took us up Elm and we could have just taken third," Jude said.

"You can go up third on your bike, not in a car," Alex protested.

Jude knotted his brow. "It's dark, who would know?"

"So they drove you two here?" Jess said trying to get the children to focus.

"Yes they did. But the angel was cool and he had wings Jess. Real wings!" Jude said excitedly. "But, I think it's a given that only one of Willie's Uncles has them seeing how her Uncle Sam fell of the roof. Was he okay?"

"He's fine, but what…Wings? What do you mean wings?" Jess asked.

"Yeah, real wings, but you couldn't really see them, because they were on another…."

"Plane of existence," Alex said as Jude scrambled for the words. "But we got to touch them."

"Touch them?" Jess asked carefully. "What do you mean touch them? Did anyone hurt you two?"

Both boys shook there heads. "Willow said that some angels are douches, so I'm guessing some can, but not her Uncle."

"Yeah, she has an angel as an Uncle, isn't that cool Dad?" Alex said excitedly. "And he isn't like the ones in any of the stories Stevie and Kwon's Grandma read to them."

Jess took a breath. "What is he like then? Did he make you do anything?"

"He wears a suit and tie, but he doesn't look too business like. He said we could touch his wings though," Alex said. "I wasn't sure at first, but I did, I did Dad and he said I could. Jude just went ahead and did it, but I waited for permission, because Cas is an Angel."

"Yeah, the goof called him 'sir'" Jude said mockingly.

"What else was I supposed to call him? Your Angelness?" Alex asked the other child.

"Sir just makes you sound like a suck up," Jude simply retorted causing the other boy to prickle.

"Hey," Jess said as he calmed the situation. "What were these 'Wings' like?"

Jude took a deep breath. "They were huge Jess, they like…covered the wall and you couldn't see them but they felt all feathery, like real feathers, eagle feathers, not like those stupid play feathers that Miss Patty has."

"Yeah and then we flew! I think we flew. Cas wasn't sure; but we told him that we had to go to because we promised Willie that we'd stay with her and then Grandpa Luke and Willie's Granddad tried to break into Jude's room so he took us too. We were in Jude's room and then we were in the car. We didn't walk in between." Alex explained.

"Yeah, but Alex got all wussy about it," Jude interjected.

"No I didn't!" Alex replied. "And you were scared too when we got there."

"I didn't just cave when they said we were to tell our moms that we were to get fib-er," Jude retorted. He looked up at Jess. "What is fib-er?"

Jess blinked at the children as they waited for a replied to Jude's question. "Car? The two of you were in a car?"

"Yeah, Willie's Uncle has a big black really old car. But then they told us that we had to go back, because you and Mom would be worried and that we couldn't go with them."

"They said that you had to go back?" Jess asked grabbing hold of both boys.

"Yeah, that is why we came in the window, because they weren't sure if you would be home and Alex said you always leave the window open a little," Jude replied as Jess started to sob.

"Dad, are you crying?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, yeah I am," Jess said with a laugh.

"Willow's Uncle Dean said to tell my Mom hello when I see her," Jude said. "I didn't know he knew her, but he and Willie's Uncle Sam seemed to."

"Uncle Dean?" Jess asked.

The boys nodded. "Yep, there was the Angel who is Cas, and Willie's Uncle Sam and Uncle Dean," Alex explained.

"So Willow is still with them?" Jess asked looking at the boys very seriously. "Do you know where they went?"

"They promised that they were going to meet Willie's Dad – they wrote a letter to give to you – do you want it now or do you want to wait for Mom?" Alex said. "They wrote it because they guessed us knocking on the front door and trying to explain that way would take to long."

"Yeah, but you know climbing up to your bedroom is so not as cool as flying," Jude stated to Alex who nodded in agreement.

"Really," Jess said taking the note before ruffling the Jude's hair.

"Jess!" Rory screamed as her footfalls could be heard running down the hall. "Jess, my Mom got a call to say the boys were here…"

She fell to her knees as caught sight of the children.

"Rory, they're fine," Jess said moving to help her to her feet.

"Mom?" Alex nervously whimpered as he saw Rory's pale face.

"Oh God," Rory said as the little boy ran comfort her.

"Oh man, you're crying too," Jude retorted with all the disgust the seven year old could muster.

"Hey, come here," Jess said pulling the little man into his arms.

"Ewww, Jess," the little boy exclaimed, as he squirmed in his cousin's grip.

"We need to call your Mom and Dad okay, Jude," Jess said. "We'll be back in a moment – but you two don't go near the window. You keep the door open and if you see anyone and I mean anyone, you yell at the top of your lungs, you hear me?"

"Even Cas the angel?" Jude asked.

"Yeah, even the angel." Jess said firmly. "You stay here and I'll be back."

Jess ran a hand through his hair as he loosened Rory's grip on Alex. "Come on you need to call Lorelai."

* * *

"How?" Rory said as her husband stopped her stumbling.

"It's okay –they're fine. You saw them they're in Alex's room."

"What?" Rory asked running back to double check only for Jess to grab her arm.

"Willow's Uncle Sam dropped both of them off," Jess said calmly, "They don't look hurt – they swear he didn't hurt them."

"Uncle Sam?"

Jess took a breath, trying to get her to focus, "Remember him the one with the brother that was also called Dean. He left the boys in Alex's room."

"They're safe? Our boys are safe?" Rory asked. "They are really safe aren't they?"

"Yes, they look okay." Jess said. "They are talking about angels but they look okay."

Rory exhaled. "Oh thank god. When my Mom said that someone had called to say the boys were going to come here, I didn't know what to think. "

"They called Lorelai to let her know where the kids were?" Jess asked confused as he looked at the crumpled note in his hand.

"Where's Willow?" Rory asked to which Jess couldn't respond. "Is she still with them, Sam and Dean? Christ Jess, they're dangerous. Remember what happened the last time?"

"I know and yes it looks like she's still with them. They dropped off our boys off and left us a note to apologizing for the trouble. It looks like one of, Sam, was planning on sticking around to make sure someone was here for them."

Rory stopped for a second, "You can't be serious."

"He fell of the roof when he saw me, I thought it was your old boyfriend for minute, until the kids said it wasn't and then they gave me this" Jess said as he handed over the piece of paper to his wife before he went to call Luke.

_To Jude's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Forester, to Alex's mom and Dad,_

**To whoever reads this,  
**

**Understand you probably have gotten the cops involved, don't blame you.**

**The plan was to pick up the Munchkin. Not to take any child on a joyride or scare the crap out of anyone. All I can say is that we are very sorry for lifting the three kids from the house, all I can say it was an accident and in no way shape or form, our idea or Forester's for that matter, it just happened.  
**

**As for Willow, she is okay, but I'm guessing you're not going to take my word on that. If I were you, I definitely wouldn't.**

**Forester is due to fly in to pick her up and the plan is to meet him at the airport in Hartford. His flight from Nebraska should be in around 7am. So if you want to talk and check on the Munchkin, you should go to the airport to meet the two of them. As for the cops I think it would probably be quicker to call the TSA guys there, than for the local guys to set up road blocks considering the time it will take to close every road to stop us.  
**

**As for the boys, they just ended up tagging along; they were with us for less than 20 minutes – just enough time to drive them to Alex's house.**_ (Are they cousins, uncle and nephew or what? As I never thought Connecticut was like Arkansas but just been told it is.)_

_Also do is there a volume control for them? They seemed to go from silent to extreme, faster than I can hit sixty. I know that their mothers can talk, but these kids? I think they may have ADHD. I'm just saying that because no-one should have that many questions._

**Alex may need therapy or at least a better taste in music because Motorhead does not suck!**

**Again sorry for the fuss.**

* * *

"Boys?" she slowly asked. Her heart was thumping in her chest as the fear and tension bubbled under her skin trying to force their way out of her body as waves of relief pushed from inside her. The nausea and bile that had filled her between her mother's first phone call and her seeing them sitting on Alex's Looney Tune bedspread, was fighting the tears that were coming to the fore

How could he do this to them? How could her Dean do that, send someone who'd take her son - did Dean really hate her that much? Why? For what happened for…No what was she over thinking this, Dean wouldn't have done anything to hurt her, not like that would he? Those people brought Alex and Jude straight to Alex's home, they called to say where the kids were and from what Jess had said they were trying to make sure that someone was always with them. And they told them exactly where to meet them and how best for the authorities to do it.

They had come for Dean's daughter, because he'd obviously asked them to get her. This was not about her and Dean, this was about Dean's family not, hers. But the last time she had seen him with the… what were their last names… 'Winchester, that was it Sam and Dean Winchester', who played with demons. Oh God, none of this made any sense.

"Jesus Dean," she thought. "What in the world have you been doing since I last saw you?"

"You read the note then?" Jude asked looking up from Alex and his conversation to see that Rory standing there with the piece of paper in her hand.

"Yes, I did."

Alex smiled, "Jude and me helped a little."

Rory looked down at the bit of paper, noting the scored out portions, "Yeah, I can see that."

"We were scared a little because Grandpa Luke was trying to break down the door and then we were in a strange car, but then…we kind of flew Mom, we saw things that you can't see and flew so fast that we ended up in another place and it didn't feel like we had moved at all. Then they said they were going to take us home, and they did." Alex said at high speed. "So we helped with the letter."

"Yep, we did," Jude said proudly "But Sam said that Willie's Uncle Dean had to take out the Arkansas thing. Though what is deliverance? And what is fib-er?"

"Fiber?"

"Yeah, Willie said that when she goes flying with her Uncle Cas, her Dad always makes her eat lots of fiber," Alex said.

"Really?" Rory asked.

"Yeah," Jude said. "Is that something like broccoli? Because I'm not eating it if it is like that."

Rory wasn't sure what she was suppose to say. "Okay."

"And what is Deliverance?" Jude asked curiously.

"Deliverance?" Rory asked.

"When I said that Alex was my nephew and my cousin all at the same time, Willow's Uncle Dean asked if anyone in our family played the Banjo and said it was very Deliverance like." Jude explained.

"Excuse me," Rory said causing the boys to look at her.

"Well, Willie's Uncle Sam told her Uncle Dean to shut up and take the Arkansas bit out of the letter as well as how we were talking too much and Willie's Uncle Dean said okay, but he also said if anyone in this town asked him to squeal like a pig he was out of here."

"Right," Rory said.

Jude nodded. "Willie's Uncle Sam wasn't too happy when he said it though – reminded him that we weren't teenagers so he should watch what he says."

Rory nodded, not sure why they were talking about this right now. "Yeah, maybe that might be a good idea for him."

"Willie said that her Mom had told her to ignore most of the things that her Uncle Dean says if they don't make any sense then or there." Jude explained.

"Really," Rory said. "She did?"

"Yeah, he is supposedly got less age appropriate as he gotten older," Alex said slowly. "That is what Sam said. Sam said that it's because the only little kids they spend time with is Willie, because the other kids they used to spend time with are grown up and at college now."

"Maybe Granny Emily plays the banjo at those DAR things," Jude interjected interrupting Alex's train of thought with a sudden blinding insight that only an under ten can have.

"I don't know," Alex shrugged, "But I don't think she'd ask anyone to squeal like a pig."

"Maybe that's why she goes through all those maids?" Jude asked.


	7. Chapter 7

Boy this one was hard to write. If I am getting the whole US justice system wrong please tell me.

* * *

The smell of sweaty feet, stale peanuts and the company of a few over weight, tired, hung-over business men with their five minute phony phone calls 'Sure honey, I missed you and I'll be home for six'. All the while fiddling with they briefcases to find what ever file they think they have left at whatever Holiday Inn their firm had paid for them to stay at while they schlepped from one state to another while hocked 'whatever' they hocked to the locals. These things were all things a world away from the target practice and crowd profiling and every other class she had back when she was training.

Yeah, the intense and urgent training on how to spot and take down a threat in the most effective and hopefully non lethal way. The reminders of what could happen if missed something, the videos, the testimonies that were drummed into her head to reminder her why she had put in for the transfer. Well, none of that really dealt with the day to day realities of what had to be one of the least glamorous law enforcement agencies around. But it was still more a more interesting use of her law degree than the shuffling of paper like she used to do at the mail service.

Though, she had to admit pulling the redeye, three nights in a row, on a flight path which would probably only be under threat from Osma bin Laden's stupid second cousin had to karma for something. Although the only thing she could think of was possibly the times she had used her badge to skip the line in at the kiosk when she thought it was too dangerous to even attempt the brown sludge that seemed to serve as a coffee substitute in half the staff lounges she spent time in.

Oh, just to check into the hotel and slip her shoes off and into a hot lavender smelling bubble bath before getting into a warm bed for a couple of hours of peace before she had to catch the flight back to Grand Island tonight. Well that would be the plan once the last of the slow moving shlubs got through baggage claim.

"Hi," came the tap on the shoulder causing her to whip round to come face to face with a very tall man.

He took a step back as he noted her expression. "Ehm…you were on my flight."

She looked around her, considering she was standing at the gate, her answers were limited at that point. Though she did recognize him, first one on and last one off – curse of those in need of assistance. "Possibly."

He nodded as she looked him up at down. The crutch and the fact he was trying to keep the weight of his leg did play into the in need of assistance part but mostly importantly she couldn't seem to the fact he was standing there, cell in hand.

She tensed which didn't go unnoticed.

"Yeah, I noticed you were on my flight, and this isn't a pick up."

She nodded. "Sure, it isn't because I am so not old enough to be your mother."

"I doubt that," he replied in a 'oh schucks ma'am' manner that would seem cute, if it wasn't for the yellowing bruise and healing cuts. Not to mention the fact that thanks to her training, both through law enforcement as well as from raising three boys, each of which knew when to pull that one, she knew that his response was a little to down pat to be natural. And that was before she factored in that he was practiced enough in it that he was able to pull that shy smile/kicked puppy dog routine just after dawn.

"Right," she replied slowly crossing her arms.

"You are the Air Marshal right?" he asked hopefully.

Her face fell. "Why are you asking?"

"Because, I think I am going to need your help."

She hesitated. Scanning her surroundings as she assessed the situation.

"No," he said quickly as he responded to her reaction. "It is just I got a personal call, a personal one nothing to do with airport security. And I wish I didn't as I know how much trouble it is going to cause but I think I am going to need your help."

She looked at him quizzically, her interest, even though she could admit it was in contrast to the best needs of her tired bones, was peaked. "And what exactly are you expecting me to help you?"

* * *

"So the police said that she is here. They found her about 15 minutes ago." May said as her husband began to talk to the police again.

"How?" Lorelai asked as she stood beside Luke who was holding one of the two witnesses to the abduction in his arms.

"She was handed off at the security gate by a tall man who asked if they could page her father as his flight had got in," May replied as young Jude yawned.

"They left her alone?" Rory asked as she held tightly on to her little boy's hand.

"I…I don't know," May admitted as the group were ushered into a small security room to find a not exactly quiet scene.

"Come on kid, time to go," one of the two large policemen said as Willow hung on for dear life to the leg of the table.

"No, I won't! The lady at the desk paged him, so I'm not going, I'm not going till my dad gets here," stated the obstinate 7 year old. "My Uncles said that the security men had to take care of me till my legal guardian came that is my Dad! He's on the flight from Nebraska, it got in at 7 am, it was on the board, and it had arrived so I'm staying here!"

"Willow, I know your upset but maybe if we take you home then we can talk about it," Randy said as him and May crouched down to Willow's eyelevel . "We need to see if you are okay, that nobody hurt you."

"My Uncles didn't hurt me, they would never hurt me and Stars Hollow is not my home!" Willow spat out. "My home is with my Mom and my Dad at the shop, next to the Grandma's place. Not in Stars Hollow. You were just meant to baby-sit me while they got better. That is what you promised to do, that is what you told me. You aren't supposed to try and keep me forever and ever in a place I don't want to be."

"Willow – please, not here," May said making as she gently tried to loosen the child's grip while the others watched on causing her to hold on to the table even more tightly.

"Sir, we need to see if she is okay," the second police officer said to Randy. "And we need a better description of the second man and an old picture of your son with the description he looked like that but wasn't that man isn't exactly helpful."

"I keep telling you that Dean didn't take the children," Randy argued as he stood up to answer the second cop. "Why the hell would we be here if he did?"

"He does kind of have a point and I told you the kids said it was the girl's Uncle that dropped them off," Jess said to the officer. "Not her Dad."

"I don't need you to defend my son," Randy snapped.

"Randy!" May exclaimed as she snapped at her husband while Willow continued to hug the table leg. "That isn't helping."

Randy growled as the tense chaos seemed to continue.

"Jess is just trying to help," Rory said quietly after she had settled her son into the chairs that were situated at the far end of the room.

"Why the hell are you here?" Randy asked her, to which Rory couldn't answer.

He turned and looked at Luke, "Why are the rest of you here? You got your kids back, so why?"

"The cops asked us to be here, they need the boys to identify…." Luke said stopping short midsentence as Randy glared at him.

"Randy, that aside we just want to make sure Willow is safe," Lorelai replied trying to ease the tension.

"She has got nothing to do with you," Randy said firmly while May and the other cop tried to coax Willow out from under the table.

"I don't understand," Rory said.

He took a step forward. "She's here, so you and the rest of you should go. You can wait outside."

Luke handed Jude to Lorelai who proceed to sit the confused tired child in the seats next to Alex. "Randy. This is not Rory's fault."

Randy exhaled angrily. "I am not having you people here to gloat."

"Don't be ridiculous," Lorelai said.

"Ridiculous?" Randy asked "Well, then tell me why you are here watching this? Willow's okay as you can see, so why? Is it just to watch my family be taken apart? Because you know fine well what is going to happen the second my son walks through that door. Do you really want your kids to see that? Or is it a damn right of passage for your family – go see the public humiliation of a Forester, especially when the fuck up has a Gilmore in some form involved?"

May looked over at her husband. "Randy, please."

"Well I want to know," Randy answered before looking back at Rory. "Is that why you are still here? You missed the rush of watching my son's life going down the toilet because of you that you have to see what happens a generation down the line?"

Rory paled before looking up. "I….I…"

"You are out of line!" Jess spoke up as Rory seemed lost for words. "The cops asked us to be here."

"Sure they did, they asked you to stand right there" Randy said. "And have both those boys have to sit and watch what is happening right now."

"Sir, I know this is hard but those kids are witnesses," one of the police officers said. "And we need to interview your granddaughter. We have procedures."

"Procedures, my ass," Randy mumbled as Lorelai put a calming hand on Luke's chest.

"Randy, I know this is a really strange situation, but we aren't here because…well we don't mean to be bad luck to your family," Lorelai said causing the rest of her family to look at her.

"Bad luck?" Randy asked. "Within one week of meeting you guys, she's been in a fight, run away and been abducted."

"And our kids were right in the middle of it as well," Jess retorted. "So you back off."

"Yeah, but who's kids got found right back in their room?" Randy asked. "Whose family is going to find themselves dealing with the cops after this?"

"Okay, we get it," Luke replied. "Jesus, Randy. We get it."

Randy was about to answer as the door to the small interview room opened.

"Daddy!" Willow exclaimed as she let go of the table to run to her father who appeared in the doorway only to be grabbed hold of by the Hartford police officer, while the other made a move towards Dean Forester.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Jess exclaimed as the room erupted into noise of screaming children and arguing adults while Dean Forester was pushed up against the wall to be cuffed.

"What the hell is going on here!" the small older woman behind Dean exclaimed as the police officer started to read him his rights.

The large man glared at her for a second identifying himself curtly to which she sweetly smiled before producing her credentials. "So even though I'm not on a plane right now so technically would be pushing any authority I have right now but are you going to answer my questions or not? It would be polite."

"Yeah, can you answer her," a cuffed Dean Forester added as the small woman waited for a response.

"Look, dear," she said politely to the cop as she looked around the room.

"As you said you got no authority and this is a local matter so this isn't your concern," the cop snapped as he secured Dean Forester removing the guy's crutch from his reach as Willow was held by his colleague.

The Air Marshal looked around her before taking a breath, "You tell me your side or…well I am the only one here that would probably get away with blowing anyone's knee caps off inside this building."

"Excuse me?"

"It's 7.25 and I want to go my crappy federally paid for hotel and have a bubble bath because I've just got off a plane from Buttsville Nebraska, so talk, now" the Air Marshal said firmly. "Before we see how far I can stretch the bounds of the patriot act."

"Yeah, right," the cop retorted sarcastically.

"If congress couldn't be bothered reading before they passed it, how do you know I couldn't? Hell, I'm pretty sure the lawyers in the TSA and DoJ are still having fun with ways they can play with it, so really if you don't tell me what is going on can you tell me if you can say Guantanamo" she asked tiredly her patience obviously reaching it's limits.

"Are you threatening me?" the cop asked.

"I'm saying you have really bad beard," the Air Marshel replied mockingly. "What I'm saying is you can at least be polite to your inter agency colleagues."

"Daddy!" Willow cried.

"Willie, it's okay," Dean said from where he was standing as the cop explained that situation to the Air Marshal, who sighed.

"So you are busting him for abduction of three kids who have all been accounted for and have not been harmed?" she questioned. "Can I ask how, if he was on a plane?"

"Are we sure of that?" the cop asked sarcastically. "We couldn't get the girl's mother to confirm where he was."

"You talked to Jo?" Dean exclaimed. "You told her that her daughter was missing?"

Randy sighed. "No, they talked to Ellen. She wouldn't put Jo on the phone so she probably doesn't know the cops are involved yet."

Forester held back a laugh as he looked at his father. "Oh thank god."

"Dean, this isn't funny," May said.

"Sorry, Mom," Dean said chuckling. "It…Ellen didn't make the cop cry, did she?"

May looked over at one of the two young men in the corner. "She…she did use some of…she seems to have used some colorful language before she put the phone down on them."

"I can picture that," Dean said.

"Why is that important?" Jess asked causing Lorelai to look over at him and mumble something about blood pressure.

The Marshal crossed her arms at the cop. "Okay, does that mean you a just a moron?"

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me," the tired woman said. "Do you think he tapped me because he saw me on my way out of the building? I know for a fact he was on a plane from out of state as it was my flight - I'm his albi."

The cop raised an eyebrow, "We have witnesses that he was in the area, CCTV that he dropped the girl at the security desk" the cop pointed out. "Hell, we even have three that he fell off a roof in Stars Hollow a few hours ago."

"Fell off a roof?" Forester questioned trying to straighten up. ""Look at me, I have three cracked ribs, my leg is close to being completely screwed to the point it's now got pins in it, I'm recovering from a partially collapsed lung and I almost lost my spleen about two weeks ago – truth is I shouldn't have been on a plane. Hell, I'm walking with a crutch right now, if you ever give me that back. So I may look like I fell off a roof, but you can check with my doctor. I couldn't have gotten on one right now."

"Yeah right," the cop replied.

"Plus, I not sure who this Alex and Jude are, apart from my daughter knows them," Forester replied before looking over at her group standing in front of him. "But I think I can guess who their parents are?"

Luke couldn't help it but take a step forward to which Jess held him back for a moment as the cop further restrained Forester.

"Look, we told you the guy who brought the kids home only looks like him," Jess interjected to which Dean Forester just rolled his eyes and mumbled something that sounded like, "_Every Friday! Time to grow back the stupid beard."_

"So you say the guy you saw only looked like this guy?" the Air Marshal asked Jess.

"That doesn't mean it couldn't be him, we still have other witnesses."

"Two kids who saw him in a stressful situation in the middle of the night a defence lawyer would say that bad lighting and stress, that is if they pick say it's Mr Forester here and from what this guy says they might not. As for your CCTV considering they'll also be a tape of him boarding the plane in Nebraska plus I can say he was on the plane I think you might have problems with that," the Air Marshal pointed out.

"How did he know to tap you?" the cop asked the Marshal.

"I got a call when I got off the plane to say to say there had been some trouble," Forester replied.

"From whoever you asked to pick up your daughter?" the cop asked.

"Yes," Forester replied. "I got told she was here and the cops would want to talk to me about what was going on and that some kids called Alex and Jude were involved though I've never met them."

The cop took a second, relaxing his grip on Forester, before turning to the Air Marshal. "Conspiracy then. Whose to say he didn't ask his 'friends' to pickup any other kids that were with the girl."

"Conspiracy?" she questioned. "Really? Can you please tell me why he supposedly directed the kidnapping of his own daughter, who from what you say he does have legal custody of, let alone two other kids he says he doesn't know before organizing their return?"

The cop hesitated for a second.

The Air Marshal sighed. "Even if his intent was only to grab the girl how could he direct the return of the other two? Especially when he was on a plane where the use of communication devices is prohibited when this seems to be actually going down?"

"Are you sure he couldn't have called someone?" the cop said causing the Air Marshal to prickle.

"Excuse me?" Forester said lightly interrupting the beginnings of the law enforcement showdown. "While you are sorting this out can you at least take the damn cuffs off me in front of my kid?"

To which the Air Marshal nodded glaring at the cop who hesitated.

"Use a brain cell – you've scared her enough and she's obviously wants to go to him and he couldn't have been the one to grab her so let her because it isn't as if they can go anywhere," The Air Marshal said causing the cop to eventually do as instructed.

"Daddy!" Willow exclaimed as she was allowed to run to her father who limped across the room holding back on expressing the pain he obviously felt every time he put weight on it.

"Hey, it's okay, it's okay," Forester said as the little girl cried in his arms. "Everything is going to be okay."

"I'm sorry Dad," Willow said as she held on tightly causing him to grimace a little. "I wanted to go home, I don't want to stay here forever, not without you and Mommy and the baby when he comes, even if he is going to be pukey and crying all the time. I'm sorry, I'm sorry; I don't want them to take you away. Please don't let them take you away."

"It's okay Willie," Dean said stroking her hair while the others watched. "Trust me everything is going to okay."

They silently watched as the little girl continued to cry in her father's arms one of the police officers talked to the Air Marshal while the other watched Forester interact with his daughter.

"Dean?" Rory asked quietly as which he looked up and gave her a quick smile before going back to attending to the child in his arms. He had filled out a little in the years she he had last been seen by the inhabitants of Stars Hollow and was in need of a shave, but from the looks of it he had hopped on a plane the second he had received his daughter's call. Now he was here in the middle of a mess placating a child who didn't seem to be able to be comforted by anyone else.

"Daddy? How do you know?" Willow asked, letting go for a second to look her father in the eye.

Forester smirked at her before whispering in her ear, something that wasn't unnoticed by the cop.

Willow sniffed looking over her father's shoulder before smiling. "You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure," Dean said with a smile brushing a stay hair behind her ear. "I'm going to sort this out and you've got to let me run with it okay? But right now you have to talk to your mom."

Willow wiped her eyes. "Is Mom really okay? I talked to her when I called Grandma but is she really?"

"She'll be better when she knows you're with me, so you better call her," Forester admitted before looking up at the crowd. "Boy you caused a fuss didn't you? But I think we might not want to tell your Mom too much about that right now."

Willow bowed her head as she started to hiccup as the tears began to fall again, "They keep asking if Uncle Castiel and Uncle Sam and Uncle Dean hurt me or Jude or Alex. But you know they didn't, they wouldn't."

"I know, but don't you worry about that. Your Uncles will be fine, okay?" Forester said making her raise her eyes to look at him as he wiped away her tears. "The same goes from your friends okay, they got to go home remember."

He before he looked over the looking up to the group, noting the two small boys. "But I see they got to stay up really late too after they got home."

Willow bit her lip. "We got scared Daddy, that's the only reason that Uncle…"

"Willie," Forester said firmly before looking over at his mother. "Willie, why don't you ask your Nana if she has a cell phone so you can talk to your mom and then you go talk with your friends okay?"

"Why can't I use yours?" Willow asked.

"Because, I don't think you using mine would be a good idea right now." Forester said noting the cop who was watching his every move. "So go ask your Nana and tell your Mom that you'll be home soon."

"Yes, Dad," Willow said with a nod before going to May.

Forester looked up at the others. "Is that okay for her to talk to the boys while we deal with this mess?"

"For crying out loud Dean," Randy exclaimed.

"Dad, not now," Dean replied turning to the others. "Is that okay?"

Luke looked at the man in front of him, even with his present appearance which he could understand; it seemed that Dean Forester had changed a lot since he had last seen the man, a hell of a lot and he wasn't sure what he thought about that, considering his son had disappeared. But all Dean Forester was asking was to let three kids talk to each other while they were in the same room as their parents.

He looked over at his wife and the rest of his family before nodding his approval as Willow talked on the phone. Forester took his time to stand up before letting out a long sigh as he glanced in the direction of the lead cop and the Air Marshal who were deep in discussion before turning back to see that Willow had gone to sit by the two other children, causing the second cop to go watch over the children.

"Son," Randy started as Forester assessed what the cops were doing.

"Don't Dad," Forester said calmly. "Don't, not here, not now."

"But Dean…" May said trying to explain before getting cut off.

"No Mom, once this is dealt with, Willow is going home. I'll make some other arrangements," Forester said calmly causing May's face to fall.

"How's ehm…Jo doing? This aside of course," Lorelai asked politely interjecting her presence, hoping to change the tone of the conversation by mentioning the girl she had met briefly on the road that day years before. The girl, who now seemed to have bore the boy who used to watch movies with her and her daughter, a child who inadvertently caused chaos in her wake in her determined attempt to make it home.

"She's fine, well she was when I left," Dean said.

"And the baby?" May asked tentatively. "I…didn't want to interrupt to ask when Willow was talking to her."

Dean looked over at Willow who was with the other two children by the door before turning to face his mother. "Mom, I'll need to check in with her as soon as I can to find out how she really is. I'll call when we get home, but they were fine a couple hours ago."

He turned to the rest of them, "I'm sorry. I am."

"Dean, Willow …" Randy started before Forester cut him off.

"No Dad. Now, I spent the first year of her life away from my child, almost a full year when I was forced to stay away from my daughter and her mother. I know you never got it, but I had too, but that also means I'm not going to let anyone rip apart my family again if there is anything I can do to stop it. So Willie is going home and you better pray that Jo and the baby are alright."

"Dean!" May replied shocked.

"Mom, I love you. But the only reason I let it happen last time was they were a lot bigger and scarier than you, dad and, even if you can get it on your side, the state of Connecticut." Dean pointed out causing May to go quiet, letting Dean to continue. "She is going home. I asked you and Dad to help until I got back on my feet or until the baby was born. I asked because maybe part of me hoped that we could try and build some bridges, not because I thought you'd decide that Willow needed rescuing from a life you don't want to understand."

"It wasn't like that," Randy protested.

"Dad, I got a seven year old standing in an airport a long way from home that has been up all night saying different; while her mother is probably going insane in another state, which isn't going to help with the pre- eclampsia. So right now I'm not going to apologize for needing to deal with them before we really go into this," Dean stated causing a frosty silence to descend over the group.

"Dean, we weren't going to take her away. We were going to talk to you before we did anything. The idea of us possibly going for custody had nothing to do with taking her away from you," May said.

"She is sitting in an airport, Mom," Dean said. "She ran away from you because she thinks it is. So tell me what I'm supposed to think it is about?"

"Dean, we would… if it hadn't been for …them," Randy said gesturing in Rory and Lorelai's direction.

"Dad, I don't care and I know you don't get this, but my life stopped being about Rory or what her family thought of me, or how I screwed up back then a long, long time ago," Dean retorted. "Please let it go. It isn't doing anyone any good as we can't keep having the same argument over and over again."

Jess squeezed Rory's hand as she blushed in embarassment at being brought into Dean and Randy's obvious on going fight and although it was many years since she had seen him she didn't know how she felt about that.

"And the fact that you won't set foot in Stars Hollow in years never had anything to do with what you did to yourself because of that girl, did it?" Randy said his son.

"Dad!" Dean said as the cops seem to have finished their discussion. "This has nothing to do with what is going on, right now."

"Right, sir?" the Air Marshal said to Dean as she started asking questions, to which the cop grumbled as she told the group that even though Willow would need to be checked out she couldn't see any reason for them not to go home.

"This isn't right," the cop said to her.

"You pulled the conspiracy crap which considering he was out of state makes it federal, which right now, even in my very limited capacity is me and I'm giving you an opinion so call the FBI. You tell them that you are putting out an APB on 'Columbo the Angel man' for abducting three kids before returning them to their parents less than an hour later or who tells you exactly where to pick them up." She replied.

"The kids said he was taller than that," the cop said.

"They're four foot tall – I'm a giant to them," the Air Marshal pointed out before turning to Luke and Lorelai.

"Did anyone apart from the kids actually see this Angel?" she asked.

"No, but there was definitely someone else in the room," Luke said. "We heard his voice. And they had pushed his bed against the window – no one could have got passed it to get out and put it back."

The Air Marshal raised an eyebrow. "Does your kid have a TV in his room?"

"Well…yeah," Lorelai said disapprovingly as she confirmed the presence of the TV that Luke had installed in Jude's room to allow 'father and son only' bonding time during the playoffs - so what if it had been because she had made a few comments about dunking.

"And was it possibly on when you broke down the door? Or that they couldn't have squeezed past that barricade leaving it in place, to get to the window themselves?" the Air Marshal asked to which the adults couldn't answer. She sighed before turning to the cop. "Let them go."

"The girl didn't get to the airport herself, did she?" the cop pointed out.

"Right, do you have a twin brother?" the Air Marshal asked Dean.

"No ma'am and my parents can confirm that," he said contritely. "And before you ask I don't know anyone who '**thinks'** they are an angel. But she does have an Uncle Cas and he does wear a trench coat."

"Do you know where this Cas is?" the Air Marshal is.

Dean shrugged. "He comes and goes – I don't know where he is at the moment, he is hard to pin down."

"Okay, and I'm guessing your friend, the one who you asked to pick up your daughter is a similar height and build to you? And that house where the kids where returned to is the home of an ex-girlfriend, who from what I've just been told, you have a somewhat colorful history with?" the Air Marshal asked to which Dean reluctantly shrugged.

The Air Marshal turned to the cop. "Really?"

"Three kids went missing!" the cop said.

She sighed turning to Dean. "You have morons for friends, you realize this?"

"I agree with you on that," Dean admitted.

"But seeing how we got the whole fun parade going on here, I can see why they decided to return the kids to another house, when they found them on the street, but they should have gone to the front door," the Air Marshal said firmly.

"I agree ma'am," Dean replied.

The lead cop spluttered. "But…"

"Seriously, you should let them go, because even if you arrest his friends I don't think that any DA is going to be able to sell any of what you got right now to a jury. Especially, when you have three kids, who only seem to be suffering from being up past their bed time. That is apart from the one who got the shit scared out of her when you cuffed her father in front of her, who from what you said is her legal guardian" she said. "But that of course is just my advice and as you said I'm just an Air Marshal. So you could take this mess up with the FBI and see what they say as we have established that if Mr. Forester here was involved he was out of state when this all started which means it is their turf not mine or yours. See what they think of your case."

"Fine, they are free to go," the cop grumbled as he seemed to give up his argument. "But you'll have to get her checked out."

"I'll do that when she gets home," Dean replied firmly. "You can contact the cops near my home if you want to check up that she was."

"That is a good idea sir," the Marshal said. "And please next time you fly."

"I'll make it less eventful for the staff ma'am," Dean said with a smile as she handed him his crutch.

"Good," she said going to leave.

He watched for a moment before turning to his daughter. "Come on Willie, time to go home" Forester said lightly to the little girl as the others stood there causing her to run over to her dad to take his hand. Dean turned to his parents. "I'll call as soon as I know what is happening with Jo."

"Son?" May said as Randy comforted her.

"We'll talk then Mom, but thanks for looking after her up until now," Dean said quietly as May got more upset. "I'm sorry I can't do more right now, but I have to get Willow back. I'll call you soon."

"Dad, how are we going to get home? You said you shouldn't be on a plane." Willow asked as Dean reluctantly went with his daughter.

"Well looks like I might have to bust out for gas money, don't I?" Dean replied lightly to the child, before turning round to Rory and winking, "You didn't want to go to Yale, did you?"

"Where's Yale?" Willow asked before stopping. "But you can't drive."

"Who said I was?" Dean replied. "Did Uncle Sam really fall off a roof?"

Willow nodded. "I think so - he came back with a limp and told Uncle Dean to shut his mouth before he started."

Dean grinned. "You know that means the ride home is going to be fun."

"Really?" Willow asked.

"Yeah, say goodbye to your friends," Dean said.

"Bye Jude, Alex," Willow said waving a the two boys before she headed to the door to leave.

"Did that just happen?" Lorelai asked her daughter as they watched Dean leave.

"Yeah," Rory noted as she saw the look on May and Randy's faces as they began to follow him from the small side room.

"What exactly happened?" Jess asked confused by what he had just seen.

"Willow says her Uncle Rufus' taught her Dad that you can't work against the system and there is no point in getting angry about it, so if you can't avoid it, you have to make the system work for you," Jude said as Luke picked him up to go.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Jess asked.

"That cops are smart and you are supposed to tell them the truth," Alex said.

"Yeah, you are," Lorelai answered.

"Even if they are being butt heads to you. But, they are only smart until you throw a Fed of any kind in their way. Then they act really dumb because they don't like even thinking that someone else can tell them what to do," Alex explained to which the adults looked among themselves. "Which is really smart if you think about it, because the cop got angry at the Marshal Lady, not Willie's Dad, when she came up with her own story all by herself. And Willie's Dad, he didn't lie at all, about what he knew."

"Excuse me?" Rory asked her son.

"Well, he says he didn't know anyone who thinks they are an angel – he doesn't. Because why would you think you are an angel if you arey one?" Alex reasoned. "Because you are or you aren't one, aren't you? There is no thinking about it."

"I…." Jess started to say before looking at his wife.

"You have to admit Jess that is really smart with the Marshal lady," Jude replied rubbing his tired eyes. "Do you think he'll let Willie come visit us soon?"

"I don't know," Lorelai said.

"I hope so," Alex replied as they made their way into the terminal building where they caught sight of a little girl was walking slowly in time with her father as they headed towards the main door, just as a man in a suit and tie bumped into Luke and Jude. "Excuse me; I believe this is for you."

"Yeah right," Luke said as the man handed him a small package.

He gave a Luke a stilted smile. "I believe this is for you."

"This isn't mine," Luke replied as the man walked away and Jude started tugging at his dad's jacket.

"Dad!" the boy said quietly as the man turned back and nodded at him before he calmly walked away.

"That's him Dad, that's Willie's Angel," Jude said as the figure disappeared through the main door and getting into a large black car that Forester and Willow had gotten into.

"You sure?" Lorelai asked concerned as Luke fumbled with the package to find a CD there with a note attached – _If the kid says they suck he should at least to a whole album first. DW. Plus a bit of advice, make sure he gets a bran muffin._

"Is that a Motorhead album?" Rory asked.

"Is that for me?" Alex said as he took it out his Grandpa's hands.

Luke shrugged, "I don't know."

"That so blows – you complain about the music and you get a present!" Jude said. "Next time I'm going to ask them to put something else on."

"No, you're not," Jess stated as they watched the car pull away from the airport. "This is never happening again."

"Come on Dad please!" Alex begged.


	8. Chapter 8

Hello there - one very long epilogue for people who want to read and thank you to those who have let me know what they think - and special thanks to TL22 who has been kind enough to listen to my ramblings over the past short while.

Hopefully this will tie up a lot of lose ends (though those confused by references to a previous story should go see Dog Diner afternoon where it is explained how April and Clara gained a common event to bond over) and I'm sorry I couldn't give the Winchester brothers a nice happy ending here. Maybe some day huh?

Also I was watching Ben Hur over Easter, that is the main reason I got the idea in my head for one little bit. I'm sorry if it offends anyone though

* * *

_Two months later_

The one good thing that could be said about the late lunch crowd on a Thursday afternoon was that it was a quick turnover; busy, full of stupid questions but at least quick. However there was always an exception to the rule.

"Luke, I need a refill when you got a minute."

"Like I have one of those," he replied handing over three orders to the back table

"When is Lane getting back?" she asked.

"After making sure those boys of hers actually go to the dentist? No where soon enough to handle your caffeine addiction," He replied as he brushed past her table.

"I don't have a caffeine addiction. My mother has a caffeine addiction."

"Yeah, you never stood a chance." He snorted in reply.

"And I'm a paying customer too," she whined just prior to his tripping over the strap of her bag.

"Rory, can't you do whatever you are doing at home!"

"It's too quiet at home," she replied straightening a couple of the papers that had been disturbed. "And the Inn has that convention."

"That isn't my problem," Luke said firmly. "My diner isn't a newsroom."

Lorelai pulled up a chair. "True, but if Rory was there she wouldn't be able to enjoy our company."

Luke grumbled. "And you wouldn't have an excuse to skip work to join her. Unless you hike all the way to New York or Providence or whatever town that the paper she worked on was."

Rory pouted. "But if I worked away then I'd have to get use to that greasy diner food made by someone who didn't adhere to state hygiene regulations. Would you want that?"

"Yeah and even if they did; hygiene regulations differ wildly from state to state. So whenever we visited, you would be risking your son's health by exposing him to bad fries or soda's that had watered down syrup content," Lorelai added causing Luke to glare.

Rory nodded in agreement. "That would be wrong, definitely wrong, wouldn't it Mom? Not to mention what it would be doing to his grandson's health."

"Like they aren't getting that in Philadelphia already," Luke grumbled.

"Have you seen the amount of candy that is just lying around that book store?" Lorelai asked.

"Truncheon is a publishing house," Rory said politely but firmly correcting her mother.

"Whatever," Lorelai said. "All I know is that they have my baby boys and knowing those friends of your husband, Jude is probably one Hersey away from entering a sugar induced coma, while Alex is sitting in a corner trying to work his way through T.S. Eliot."

"T.S Eliot?"

"When he becomes the next big Broadway star you'll be able to put it all down to the trip he took with his Dad and learned how to feel when he performed 'Memories',"

"Yeah Mom, and that thought is why you are here, trying to put me off of my deadline?"

"Well how else am I going to make sure that my grandson takes care of me in the manner I will have to become accustomed to, due to his fame when he achieves it?"

"And Jude won't be able to do that?"

"I love my son, but unfortunately your brother can't carry a tune well enough to fill any theater bigger than Miss Patty's dance studio," Lorelai countered. "Unless he is willing to go into producing – he can become the next Wil.. Anyways, me being at the inn right now, would just mean Michel would have a real reason not deal with the French group, trust me I wouldn't miss that for the world."

"But doesn't you being here kind of negate that statement?" Rory asked

Lorelai smiled "Ahh, but I can sit here and feel secure in the knowledge that he has no choice to deal with his hated countrymen. Plus, I have Thomas on the end of his cell camera with orders to follow Michael's every move to capture it for me. Knowing that gives me more satisfaction then a blueberry muffin and a large cup of coffee ever could."

"Is that a hint?" Luke asked.

"A hint, a suggestion a subliminal message?" Lorelai replied. "Plus if Rory is getting another cup?"

Luke grumbled something under his breath as he shifted the tray under his arm.

"And what is wrong with me having lunch with my extremely busy daughter?" Lorelai said to Rory as she watched Luke walk away.

Rory raised an eyebrow. "Yeah sure and you are spending time with me and not taking the opportunity to ogle your husband's butt?"

"You know according to community property it is technically half mine."

"Luke with half a butt?"

"Plus it isn't just diner owners; have you seen Caesar's lately? Oh, the way that it jiggles gets to me every time."

Rory put down her pen "You disturb me on so many levels you know that?"

"Hey you are an adult and okay, the compiling the New England comparative guide of the butts of diner owners isn't the only reason I thought I came down here. I also need to mother something," Lorelai replied stretching out her arms. "Come to Mommy, my first born."

"Can't you go smother Paul Anka?" Rory asked.

"He's gone into hiding," Lorelai admitted. "And Jess isn't bringing the kids back until the weekend, so get use to it."

"Gees!" Rory replied.

"Caesar, what the hell is that!" they could hear coming from the kitchen.

"Has Lane been doing the ordering again?" Rory asked as the gruff diner owner stormed out of the back to scan the crowd while holding a small bottle unmistakably filled with a white substance.

"Oh, here it comes. The 'this _isn't a daycare center' _speech!" Lorelai said as Luke seemed to find his target.

"Hey, I know this is a diner but there is a limited amount of space, plus if you come to a diner it is implied that you buy the food that is on the menu and don't bring your own, no matter how small the person eating is" Luke said to the figure twisted over the stroller.

"And hello to you too Luke. I see you haven't changed," he said straightening up, reaching out an arm to take the bottle out of Luke's hand before testing it on his wrist. He looked down at the baby. "Sorry too hot, got to let it cool down."

Luke swallowed, "Jesus Christ."

"No, it's Dean," He let out a low rumbling chuckle as Luke stared open mouthed at the familiar face hidden behind the short beard.

"What?" Luke asked.

Dean Forester shrugged. "Just it's not often I get a chance to say that one. But he's right it is kind of funny."

"I don't believe it," Rory said as both her and her mother stood up at the sight causing both men to turn and look in their direction.

"Hi Rory, how's things" Dean asked standing up, shoving his hands in his pockets to face the uncomfortable three who didn't seem to know what to say. "That is okay; I never expected a warm welcome. Though I'll admit I was kind of hoping just to face Luke, not all of you."

Lorelai looked around the diner, scanning the faces of the various patrons, causing Dean to smile.

"Guess can't blame you for that one," Dean said as the others joined in. "It's just us, as far as I can tell, it is just use lower or upper life forms. Depending on how you see things."

"Well no offense I'd rather check," Luke said continuing to examine the faces around him.

"Considering it's only been a couple of months since the thing with Willow and your boys I deserve that, at least."

"You forgetting the last time you were in this place? Your 'friend' wanted to cut my daughters heart out of her chest." Luke pointed out.

Dean let out a little laugh. "I haven't really thought about Ruby in years and now everybody seems to be bringing her into the conversation."

Lorelai swallowed. "Have you….are you… Is she…?"

"She's long gone and she isn't coming back," Dean simply stated. "Got it on good authority that she isn't going to visit anyone anytime soon."

"And what about your other friend, the one that likes to collect kids?" Luke asked.

"If it is any conciliation, all of us, Castiel especially, got our asses chewed out by Jo's mom when she found out what happened," Dean admitted.

"Really?" Rory asked tentatively as she remembered the older woman she had seen on the side of the road years before. The woman who had subtly smacked down Emily Gilmore more efficiently than anyone she had ever seen.

"Yeah, he means well. He just took them because they were scared," Dean said.

"So you admit that a friend of yours did take them?" Luke asked.

"Actually, all I did was not correct the cops when they came up with their own story," Dean said lightly which caused Luke to look at him angrily, Dean seeing Luke's glare straightened up. "What did you really expect me to do, Luke? Tell them what really happened?"

"Okay, we get that you needed to get Willow home," Rory said trying to calm the situation. "But how can we be sure that your 'friend' won't take it into his head to take Alex and Jude again?"

Dean took a breath. "He wouldn't have hurt them."

"And what are we supposed to do if he did? What if he hadn't brought them back? Or decides to take them again?" Luke asked pointedly.

"Are we supposed to go all Megan's law on him?" Lorelai asked "Can you, do that with an 'angel'?"

"Not that one – not without possibly risking well…," Dean admitted. "Not that he would take them just to hurt them; it's not what he's like."

"An Angel who kidnaps kids and all you can say is that isn't what he is like?" Luke asked. "Tell me. What is he like then, because your friend doesn't exactly fit your usual 'Angel on top of the Christmas tree mold' from what I see?"

Dean coughed a few times shielding his mouth with his right hand that was covered by an over long sleeve. He forced a timid smile. "At least no-one had to find a home for a puggle?"

"A puggle?" Rory asked.

"A baby Echidna," Dean explained to which Rory and Luke looked blank.

"It's a long story," Dean said as they stared at him. He coughed again. "I was helping friend while her kid was babysitting Willow. He was trying to crank out a paper for school and for some reason Castiel turned up, trying to be helpful. He took both kids to Australia, because they couldn't leave Willow alone. They came back home with a pink blob 'thing' that Cas had been using to explain the process of evolution to Ben. Unfortunately, natural selection kind of met its match when Willow found out that it had lost its mom and they couldn't calm her down."

"A pink blob 'thing'?" Rory said quietly.

"Yeah, spiky ant eating thing now, living in a zoo in Lincoln," Dean said. "You can check if you want, though the whole getting them to take it was interesting."

"Australia?" Rory asked in disbelief.

Dean scratched his temple. "He doesn't exactly need a passport. I wish to hell they did."

"So Angels? You really do mean Angels?" Lorelai asked looking at Dean as if he was crazy. "Not crazy escapologist people who think they are angels, but really aren't."

Dean sighed, looking at the faces in front of him. "If you remember the demons; is it hard to understand that there is another side to that? Willow did say that Cas and her explained this to your boys, before he 'took' them."

"Yeah, but that was just... angels?" Rory asked. "Alex went on about it, but really, angels?"

"Are you sure it wasn't really one of those other things?" Luke asked.

"You think I'm going to let demons anywhere near my daughter, Luke? It freaks me out that angels turn up in her life as it is," Dean retorted in reply. Before he added in a concerned tone. "How are they by the way? Your boys?"

Dean couldn't help notice the fact they stiffened at the question. "I was told to ask, by Willow that is all, no-one else."

"Really?" Luke asked as Dean produced an envelope out of his jacket pocket, handing it to Rory.

"I said I'd pass this on, but even though I wouldn't read it, I said that you guys would and it would be up to you if you gave it to the boys," Dean explained. "We have no right to expect you to trust us. And I told her that she couldn't expect to go see them."

Rory took a second, hesitantly opening the card. Luke looked over her shoulder to see what was written – a small child's message to her two friends carefully written in blue and purple glitter pen.

"She's trying to be more of a girl," Dean admitted. "Though pink is still out of the picture."

"Okay," Rory said, slipping into the chair across from him as Caesar came over with a cup of coffee and slice of pie for the table.

"You ordered coffee, from my place?" Luke asked.

"You guys looked busy so I thought I'd wait. And as someone once told me, when you got to a diner you actually order something off the menu," Dean said sitting down.

"So how are you doing now? Since your work 'accident'?" Rory asked noting how at ease with himself Dean seemed to be even with present awkward situation.

""Work Accident'," Dean said jokingly as he noted Rory's tone.

"Why are you in town?" Luke asked bitterly cutting in. "Can't be just to drop that off."

"I guess I deserve that, after the shit storm with the kids," Dean nodded, just as a cry came from beside them.

He picked up the bottle to retest it. "Yeah, I get what time it is but it's still too hot champ."

"Who's that?" Lorelai questioned causing Dean to lean down to pick up the child.

"This is the reason I'm really in town, let me introduce you to Ash Harvelle," Dean explained proudly.

"He's gorgeous," Rory said as she looked at the little bundle. Luke rolled his eyes as he watched the women seem to melt over the baby.

Dean smirked a little as Lorelai joined her daughter at the table to coo at the baby.

"Give me strength," Luke mumbled.

"I haven't had a chance to really work things out with my parents, what with Jo being laid up and this guy appearing a little earlier than planned," Dean said ignoring Luke's comment.

"Earlier than planned?" Rory asked.

Dean nodded. "With the pre-eclampsia we got lucky, he was only 5 weeks early. And before you ask, Angels, even ones who still have a lot to make up for and owe you big, don't help in situations like that."

"Why would an ….," Lorelai started to asked. "Never mind, I don't want to know."

"So you came to see your folks?" Luke said after taking a breath, to which Dean nodded.

"They didn't feel comfortable enough to come stay with us when he was first born and we, well, even though I knew I had to do something, not to mention that Clara has been kicking me up the ass about it, I couldn't make the time to come here until we got the all clear for this little guy." Dean said looking down at the little blinking face.

Rory nodded understanding where his priorities must have lain over the past couple of months and how bad he must feel about not trying to fix things with his parents sooner,

"So your whole family is here?" Luke asked.

"Jo, Willow and my Mom are probably cleaning Stars Hollow out of every piece of 'hello Kitty' merchandise they can find right now."

"Clara must be happy about that?" Rory said before hesitating.

"I heard that she had got a really prestigious internship which included travel?" Lorelai said to which Dean and the other s looked at her. "What? April told me – she and Clara kept in touch after the…well you know, okay."

"Why didn't I know about this?" Luke asked.

"I don't know. Do you really want to know all the people April talks to and what exactly what they talk about?" Lorelai asked to which Luke just shrugged uncomfortably.

"Yeah Clara," Dean interjected gaining both Luke and Lorelai's attention. "She's in Asia right now, with the Dragon lady. The slightly scary Dragon lady."

"I thought Clara was working with some professor of history," Lorelai said.

"So Clara didn't tell April about the doc then," Dean said taking a breath.

"That she's a scary Dragon lady?" Lorelai asked. "You spend a lot of time with this history professor to know this for a fact?"

Dean smiled. "I remodeled her basement a few years back, when she was teaching in San Francisco."

"I thought you lived in Nebraska?" Lorelai asked to which Dean nodded. "Well, that must have been one hell of a remodeling job to head to the coast."

Dean inhaled loudly. "Well, it's a living and I got to admit sometimes I get an interesting job or two thanks to the guys. As for the Doc well, she can hold her own. I'll give her that."

"You are scared of this woman and you introduced her to your sister?" Rory asked raising an eyebrow to which Dean looked a little sheepish.

"You know strong women and me, huh," Dean said jokingly, before adding seriously. "Clara can look out for herself and she could have a lot worse role models, plus working with Dr Visyak will look great on her grad school application."

"So while the rest of your family was busy you thought you'd take the opportunity to drop in here?" Luke asked deciding to get back to the nitty gritty of the situation.

Dean nodded. "Dad's at the store and while the girls shop I thought me and this little guy could get a drink. So we thought we'd hit here because Ash is still under age and more importantly I know that my parents aren't the only ones I need to build some bridges with."

The baby whimpered, gaining Dean's attention, though it only took a second to distract the child.

"Jesus Dean, what happened?" Lorelai explained as she noted the stump of the finger that he let the child suckle on as they waited. There was another stump such as that on his that on his hand

"Was that from the…whatever happened to you – did something, was something out to get you?" Rory asked carefully.

Dean let out a laugh. "Only really ugly suspended staircases that have got no business being inside turn of the century buildings."

"Excuse me?" Luke laughed.

Dean sighed, "My accident was a work accident – I'm a carpenter and a contractor, really I am, I got yard and everything if you want to check it out. That's what puts food on the table for my kids. And if it keeps going the way it has been will mean neither one of them will have to worry about school either."

"Willow said that you had a store," Rory added, to which Dean nodded.

"So you got hurt on a contracting job?" Luke asked in disbelief.

"Luke," Lorelai said firmly to her slightly pissed off husband.

"Construction happens to one of the most dangerous industries in the US," Dean said seriously. "I got hurt during a renovation of an old warehouse conversion. My fingers however…well I kind of…they got in the way of a 'wall' coming down. Now I know not to do that again."

Dean picked up the bottle giving it a moment to judge the temperature before feeding the child.

"So you don't…you didn't….what about the demon thing?" Rory said. "When you said you spent time away you family; was that what it was about?"

Dean took a breath as if he was weighing his words carefully. "That was a long time ago and yeah, it wasn't fun and I did some things that I don't want to go into. But the bottom line the apocalypse has been and gone and the fallout from it has finally settled down. As for the…hunting, well I won't lie I still occasionally get out, but mostly I help by manning phones, hitting books and fixing 'tools'"

"Tools?" Lorelai asked, not sure if she really wanted that elaborated on.

Dean nodded. "It lets me stay home with the kids."

"How Donna Reed of you," Rory said.

Dean smirked. "You guys never really got what I was trying to say when I said that it was okay as long as she was happy, did you?"

"What is that supposed to mean," Lorelai asked to which Dean just gave her a knowing smile.

"Me staying at home most of the time, lets Jo go out," Dean said.

"How modern of you," Luke replied.

Dean nodded, acknowledging the older man's right to be angry . "She's better at it than me. Which, I don't mind as long as she comes home in one piece. It also means Willow actually gets to have a diet of something other than food that should be served in a basket or bad pizza."

"Excuse me?" Rory said. "You cook."

"Yeah," Dean replied. "Someone has to – Jo, as much as I love her, she is the first to admit growing up in a road house wasn't exactly conducive to giving her great cooking skills. The guys at Ellen's don't really complain as long as it's cheap, hot, there is a lot of it and there's ketchup. But it also means that anything she makes that isn't deep fired or from a griddle pan and can be washed down with a beer isn't worth the risk. Actually it is down right funny to watch her and Willow sometimes. But we don't starve, though I guess it something that Luke and Jess have to get use to, living with you guys. Unless you and your mom have taken classes?"

"They haven't," Luke said lightly causing Lorelai to give him a playful slap.

"Actually, while I'm in town I was thinking of dropping by the Dragonfly to see if I get some tips from Sookie, if she is still around."

"Sookie?" Lorelai asked.

"Willow's school does bake sales and…well she's embarrassed about my cupcakes," Dean said blushing slightly.

"You bake too?" Rory asked to which Dean smiled.

"Try to," Dean said. "And no offence to you Luke, I didn't think that asking you help would be a great idea."

"Yeah, maybe not," Luke huffed to which Dean just nodded.

"Well your life seems busy," Lorelai said.

"What with the Apocalypse?" Luke questioned picking up on Dean's earlier statement. "So, your pal Sam was really the anti-Christ?"

"No, not exactly," Dean replied readjusting the baby bottle before chuckling. "Actually, Jess was."

"What?" Rory said.

Dean grinned. "Another one of those freaky stupid coincidences in my life; the antichrist was a really a kid called Jesse."

"You can't be serious," Luke said firmly to which Dean nodded.

He looked at the baby for a second, "Smart kid from what I was told. A lot smarter than the rest of us who got involved, hunter, god, angel or demon. More powerful than the rest too."

Lorelai swallowed. "Are you saying there really is a Damien Thorn named Jesse running around?"

Dean shrugged. "I have no idea where he is now."

"So if demons and angels do, then…the rest do exist too?" Rory asked.

"Best you don't try and get your head around it," Dean said. He looked up at the large man who was still hovering at that point. "You know Luke, if I was planning on causing trouble my backup wouldn't need someone to support his neck."

Luke hesitated before pulling up a chair to sit down at the table.

"So Ash," Rory said. "Unusual name"

"Yep," Dean said. "4lb 8oz, when he turned up, a little small and too yellow for anyone's liking, but he's fine now. Packing on weight like he's catching up for lost time."

"And they are both Harvelle's?" Luke asked seriously, to which Dean nodded. "So you and the kids' mom haven't…"

"No, we never got married, and it…well it made sense for Willow and her brother to have the same last name," Dean said.

Luke looked at the man front of him taking a breath before moving to squeeze his wife's hand as he pondered what Dean hadn't said considering the little they knew about the life the man was now leading.

"It's over now, that is all that counts and that was years ago," Forester said nursing the child in his arms.

Lorelai exhaled, looking over at Dean as he seemed to be concentrating on the child in his arms. She turned to nod to Luke, causing him to hesitate for a moment before eventually going to deal with the busy diner.

They watched for a few moments as little Ash seemed content in his father arms.

"It doesn't matter, it isn't like the kids don't know who their father is," Dean said.

"Well, with Willow and Ash how could they not?" Rory said with a wry smile on her face.

"Yeah, got your own little copse going on Mr. Forester, what is the next one going to be Elm, Oak?" Lorelai interjected.

"I think we're fine on two," Dean replied. "As for Ash it also happened to be the name of an old friend of Jo's, closest thing she had to a brother."

"If it isn't a tree thing you could always change it to Dean Jr.," Lorelai helpfully added to which her daughter just glared at her.

"There is enough Deans hanging around my place most of the time without adding another one to the mix," Dean said putting down the bottle and shifting the baby to burp him. "He suits Ash, plus with Dean, he end being Dean the third somehow and I'd end up as DJ."

"Dean the third?" Lorelai asked.

"The boys did mention an Uncle Dean," Rory said to her mother before turning to Dean. "Your friend Dean survived what was out to get him back when we first met him?"

"Well, no," Dean said chewing his lip. "But he kinda of ….well, he got… he got better."

"Better?" Rory asked glancing in the direction of her mother before turning to Dean.

"Yeah, it is one way to look at it. It seems you can't keep those guys down for too long," Dean admitted as he stoked Ash's back.

Rory took a deep breath as she sat there confused and watched her old boyfriend attend to his son. "So you and Jo just decided not to get married?"

He shook his head. "When she got pregnant with Willow, it was the start of…well the start of a lot of things but even with that the truth is after Lindsay the only person I could see standing waiting for in a Church for is you, Rory."

Rory blushed drawing back slightly, looking over at her mother, both unsure what to say to his answer. Dean looked up noticing their apprehension, causing him to hold back a laugh, "No, that isn't what I meant. I'm planning on spending the rest of my life with Jo, if she'll have me. But as for going through the whole wedding thing? I can't see Jo having the patience with the organizing, who to invite. So I don't see it happening for us, unless we decide to go down to city hall or maybe drive to Vegas, not that Willow wouldn't like being a flower girl."

"Oh," Rory said relaxing.

"And I know it isn't exactly legal, but I think that having an angel tell us that we were doing something right is as much a blessing any relationship is going to have."

"Excuse me?" Rory asked.

"Well, he didn't exactly say me and Jo were working, more like he pointed out that things would have been different if Sam had stuck to screwing normal mud monkeys on a regular basis like I did with Jo."

"What?" Rory asked confused. "An angel who talks about screwing and mud monkeys? An angel?"

"Zachariah was a dick – but yes, he was an angel and on heavens side. It was also as close to a compliment I've ever got from him" Dean said with a shrug. "And I've learned on some things you just got to take what you can get."

"But Angels aren't supposed to talk like," Lorelai said.

Dean shook his head as Rory watched him rub the baby's back. She slowly reached out pushing down his long shirt sleeve.

"Rory, please," Dean said carefully as she looked at it. "It doesn't hurt."

"What the hell," Lorelai said as Rory manipulated Dean's hand to find the corresponding mark on Dean's palm just as the baby whimpered his complaint that his father had stopped attending to his needs.

"What the hell?" Rory asked as she looked up at his face. "This wasn't from a construction accident, was it?"

Dean didn't say a word. "It's okay, they don't hurt, internally everything is fine now. They're just scars."

"Scars?" Lorelai asked, noting the same thing that Rory had, the over sized shirt that Dean was using to cover his both his hands and wrists. "Dean let me see your other hand."

"No Lorelai," Dean said firmly but calmly. "I got them and I live with them. Internally everything works so I can't complain if I got left with the externals."

"Dean how did you get those?" Rory asked.

"It was a sick joke okay," Dean admitted pulling his hand out of Rory's to return to burping the baby. "I'm alive and everything is done." He said just as Ash seemed to respond at that point.

"That was a big one wasn't it," Dean said smirking at the child as Lorelai and Rory digested what he had said.

"What?" Rory said. "Please, please tell me that you don't have matching ones somewhere else."

"Even when we were going out, I would not get my feet out in Luke's for you," Dean said mockingly.

"Dean?" Lorelai asked as her daughter glared at Dean.

"As I said it was a sick joke, a long time ago."

"Sick joke."

"The apocalypse wasn't fun," Dean sighed. "Someone decided that if I was going act like a carpenter with a martyr complex he'd remind me what exactly what happened to the last one of those by playing with a nail gun."

"Jesus!" Rory exclaimed pushing back her chair.

"Rory, you are creating a scene," Dean pointed out. "It hurt, I survived and it's something that I'm not planning on repeating and even though someone during those last few days of the it wasn't in the driver's seat, he's really sorry about it. As I said I everything is fine now, Cas fixed everything inside but I got left with the scars for some reason. I just cover them up to stop people asking stupid questions."

"But..."

"No buts," Dean said.

"What about your friends' didn't they…" Lorelai said causing Dean to coldly look her in the eye.

"So how's the freelancing work," Dean asked changing the subject. "I saw the piece in the Times you did – the fund raising gala?"

"Excuse me?" Lorelai asked.

Dean smiled. "Yeah, I try to keep up with things, even the New York Times."

"Well it was just a features article," Rory said slightly embarrassed after a few moments of hesitation. "A long way from what I thought I'd be doing."

"Hey features in a major paper with world wide readership – one that even makes it to the wilds of Nebraska?" Dean asked. "That's great and as for not being a foreign correspondent like you talked about when we were kids – trust me sitting in a fox hole waiting for anything to happen isn't anywhere near as glamorous as being at an event with the movers and shakers who decide about the fox holes. They're the people you want to keep track of, the ones who do the real damage without even having to break a nail."

"Really?" Rory said sarcastically.

"Yeah Rory, you really wouldn't like to see some of things you would have to; if you really covered the stuff you used to talk about writing," Dean said seriously.

"So says the voice of experience," Lorelai replied to which Dean raised his hand to look at his scar.

"Yeah, so says the voice of experience in the extreme," Dean said quietly before smiling. "Funny huh."

"Funny how?" Rory asked.

"Well, when we were 'kids' who would have thought you and Jess have the 'normal' safe responsible life and it would me, the whacked out one?" Dean said. "Hell, back then if you told me that I would have seen half the things I've seen or done, I would have told you to get a strait jacket."

"What have you seen?" Rory asked.

"Different stuff," Dean said turning to place the contented child back in the stroller. "I even played decoy when Lucifer was…well Sam wasn't right."

"Lucifer?" Lorelai asked. "Well, you did say apocalypse didn't you?"

"Yeah, it's over now, thank God. Not that I know where he is or really want to," Dean replied. "Congrats on Jess' third book by the way. Heard it was up for some prize."

"You know about Jess?" Rory asked tentatively.

"What you think my whole life is about monsters and building jobs?" Dean asked. "Took me a while, but I learned to take time out, to look around me."

"Really?" Lorelai questioned.

"April told Clara and Clara told me to go read a normal book – not that Jess' books are really my taste, but I think it was getting to her that she was majoring in archeology and history and her blue collar brother has a better handle on the world Chaucer lived in than she does," Dean said wryly.

"You read Chaucer?" Rory said surprised. "Not that I ever thought you couldn't."

Dean sighed. "Yeah well it helps with work. The non-tax paying kind."

"Okay," Lorelai said.

Dean let out a long breath, "A lot books we use tend not to read like stereo instructions and unfortunately don't come with cliffs notes – books like the Canterbury Tales do. So it kind of helps with the lingo; though it is funny to think that getting my head around something like 'The Wife of Bath' could have helped save my life at one point."

"Who said that book reading isn't good for you," Lorelai said.

"Always told you should read more," Rory added.

"Yeah, still hard work though," Dean admitted. "But all of that bad shit was years ago and not really here so I can't honestly say that my Dad isn't a little right."

"Right?" Rory asked carefully.

"That part of the reason I don't come to town is to do with what happened with us when we were younger. Which is my problem, not yours," Dean said firmly to Rory.

"So what are you planning to do about that?" Lorelai asked.

"Guess showing my face around here is all I can do," Dean admitted. "If that is okay you guys?"

Lorelai took a breath looking over at her daughter who nodded.

"Even if you are incognito," Rory said, gesturing to the beard casing Dean to raise a hand to his face.

"I found it makes my life a lot easier," he said with a smirk on his face. "And I'm lucky that Jo seems to like it."

Lorelai looked at her watch. "Well look at the time, I got to...well go."

"It's been good seeing you," Dean said with a warm smile as she got up from the table.

"It's been good to see you too," Lorelai admitted patting the man she used to know on the shoulder. "Strange, but good."

Rory watched her mother go before turning back to face her ex-boyfriend who seemed to have changed in so many ways over the years.

"So, how are you and Jess?"

"Why are you asking?" Rory replied to which his face fell, "Right, you are just making conversation aren't you?"

"Trying to."

"Right," she said relaxing. "Just two old friends catching up right?"

He nodded, "I'm sorry you guys and especially your kids got dragged into this. Willow takes after her mom in so many ways – gets an idea in her head and doesn't care about the consequences."

"And she's seven," Rory said smiling.

"I am so screwed when she gets older," Forester replied. "Guess you don't have that problem with…Alex?"

"No, but now him and Jude are into Nickelback," Rory said.

"Nickelback?" Forester asked confused.

"Yeah, they decided after many many playings of that CD your 'friend' gave to Luke, that Motorhead isn't for them. But they wanted to explore and have decided that Nickelback is okay."

"CD?" asked Forester. "What CD?"

"Your friend, the one that took the kids gave Luke a CD for Alex – said that if Alex was going to say Motorhead sucked that he should listen to a whole album."

"And now both Jude and Alex are into Nickelback?" Forester said with a smile.

Rory shrugged, "They are getting that way."

"Luke must love that," he said before breaking into a laugh. "Sorry, I shouldn't laugh, especially seeing how the guys scared the crap out of you when they took the kids. Not to mention the fact that seeing my face even if it was Sam at any bedroom window of your house must figure in Jess' nightmares."

"I wouldn't say nightmares but I don't think it is one of his fondest dreams," Rory said.

"Well nice to know that I can scare the crap out of him if I had to," Forester said with a smile.

"I don't know about you scaring him or everything that seems to now be tacked on with you."

Forester nodded, "I understand that."

Rory took a breath, "When that thing happened in the diner – Jess, he talked me out of writing about it. It was you that told him to talk me out of it; wasn't it?"

"Yeah," he admitted.

"Why – it could have been your ticket out of whatever it is you are dealing with, I could have got someone to print the story and you could have gone back to your normal life."

"And I might not have and then you'd have been branded a kook and I definitely wouldn't have Jo or Willie or my son."

"And what about the almost dying Dean? What about the fact that you were so badly hurt you couldn't care for your daughter?"

"That was bad timing with both me and Jo being out of commission."

"Bad timing?" Rory said.

"It was an accident on a renovation," Dean reiterated. "Nothing else, kid hit a support beam when he shouldn't and brought the thing down as for the hunting you're forgetting there is the saving people too," he said firmly. "It's about that too."

"But you seem to be getting hurt," Rory said pointing to his hand.

"I'm not saying it is easy, nice or even safe most of the time but I help Sam, Dean, Bobby and a whole load of people like them stop things, terrible things so people like you and Jess and Lorelai and the whole of Stars Hollow can get up in the morning and only have to worry about mortgage payments and where they are going to get their next cup of coffee.

She sat there in silence not sure how to respond.

"Rory, your kids can have a normal life, they go out and play with their friends and not need to know what is out there."

"And what about you and Willow and Ash? Don't your kids deserve the same thing?"

Forester took a moment, "Yeah they do, but they are safer with us than some else taking care of them and I'll die to protect them. I'd sell my soul if I had to."

She swallowed as she looked at the resolve in his face, "You're serious about that. I mean really serious and not in a way that any parent says it because you have an idea how to do it don't you?"

He looked away from her concentrating on the ground. "Rory."

"Dean?" Rory questioned as he finished his coffee. "Answer me."

He swallowed putting the cup down. "Rory, I love my family and yes, I have some idea how to and if it was my only option I'd do it for them."

She sighed. "So much of our nice talk huh?"

"Yeah," Dean replied. "As I said I read your last piece. It was good. I liked it."

Rory smiled. "Thanks. It felt like a puff piece really. Jess just keeps reminding me to bide my time before I get to cover the major stuff."

"I'm not saying that I liked it to be nice, Rory. It was good and to be honest will probably be read by more people than anything you write about being in any combat zone or interview with some foreign ambassador. If you want to really do stuff that matters – keep the people you meet at those things straight and if that means you have to flatter someone's dress sense, then do it. I know that might not be what you want to hear but if you can do more good covering those sort of things then maybe that is what you should do – it isn't like you don't know how that kind of world works," Dean said.

"I suppose."

"Your Grandmother would at least get to know all that DAR stuff you did wasn't being put to waste," he jokingly said as there was a tap at the diner window. They both turned to see May Forester standing there with her granddaughter and a blonde woman carrying a lot of bags.

Dean nodded before turning to Rory, "Looks like my credit card has hit its limit."

"You say that hopefully." Rory replied.

"If there is any story about a heist in any store around here today I've got an alibi, don't I?" he said with a resigned look on his face as the blonde girl gave the window another tap.

"I better go before Luke goes out there – he wouldn't want that," Dean admitted getting some cash out of his wallet to leave on the table.

"It's good to see you," Rory said as he got ready to go.

"You too," Dean replied before nodded his acknowledgment to Luke who was standing at the counter.

As Dean Forester left the diner the woman took the stroller out of his hands, he muttered something in greeting before she flashed a warm smile to give him a deep kiss. Rory watched as he just shook his head before picking up the little girl to put her on his shoulders before the group made a move along the street.

"You okay?" Luke asked as Rory continued to observe the path that they had taken.

"Yeah, Luke," she said with a nod as he picked up the cash. She took a deep breath. "I couldn't get another cup can I? I need to get my article finished"

Luke sighed glancing out the window to see the Foresters disappear around the corner. He looked down at his step daughter. "You know this isn't your personal office space."

She nodded slowly. "I know."


End file.
